Crossing Enemy Lines
by GravityNeko
Summary: In a war between two opposing forces that pit Rebels against Empire, one man and one woman must find a way to bridge the gap, by resolving their own differences and crossing the borders which never should be crossed. Their loyalties will be tested, their love challenged, and their choices could change the fate of the entire galaxy.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: We do not own Star Wars, it is the property of LFL and the Mouse.

Note: This is a collaboration between myself and Jade_eyes (from Jedi Council Forums). A sneak preview via the prologue. The timeframe for updating hasn't been determined though many details and outlines have been worked out. It'll l just depend on the editing and how long it takes us each to write. This prologue was written by Jade_eyes.

Now without further ado, please enjoy!

**Prologue**

Owen and Beru Lars were so glad when Beru finally conceived. They were so afraid that she never would. Loran, their son, grew up to be handy with farming; Owen was relieved he didn't want adventure.

Leia had been adopted by Bail Organa. Luke's whereabouts ... he'd been taken unexpectedly from his guardians on Dantooine.

Obi-Wan did have a protege, however. Mar a Jade, whose parents had settled on Tatooine after escaping the Jedi Purge. She had grown up close friends with Biggs Darklighter and was constantly at their home.

She, as it happened, was being trained, very secretly, by Obi-Wan; he called it lessons in self-defense and honing her innate skills so she wouldn't be a lame, helpless target, just in case.

When the Lars bought two droids, little did they know that everything would change.

Then Loran accidentally accessed a very mysterious, but incomplete, message.

**...**

Really hope you enjoyed this and will be tuning back in to see here we take this .

Also, although, Jade_eyes has no usernam e here, I do recommend you check out her work on Jedi Council Forums.

boards . theforce members / jade_eyes . 1140098 /


	2. Chapter 1 - Part One

GN: Notes: At this point we're still working on how to do these updates. I think they're semi figured out..

Jade_eyes Notes: Loran Lars is an OC. Haven't decided how many appearances he'll have This is part one of chapter one.

**.**

Obi-Wan was training Mara in secret. He had Force nullifiers around his home, fields which scrambled it and made it so much "white" noise. This was to those on the outside. On the reverse side of the field, it acted like a Force enclosure, so that if anything there was merely a slight dampening. Mara had amazing skills, she was naturally agile and quick to grasp points. Her hand-to-hand skills were superb, and she was adept indeed with the saber. Her mental skills were also impressive. She shielded better than anyone he'd ever known.

He taught her all she would need to know to hold her own, but not so much that she attracted undesired attention when she left to join the Pilots' Academy. She had made a pest of herself around the spaceports and repair yards, hanging around pilots and repair techs, soaking up everything she could obtrusively and otherwise.

Suddenly, one morning, their peace was shattered when two mysterious droids showed up with a harried youth in tow.

**.**


	3. Chapter 1 - Part Two

Note This part of the chapter will be longer. Slightly. Jade_eyes and I have worked out a system. Also, at the end of every week I will post all the parts the we've posted of JCF.

**.**

**.**

"Of course, I understand." Luke looked at the commlink, with a bit of annoyance.

His orders had been switched impromptu; it wasn't like the man to change them on a whim.

Fickle was farthest the word to describe such a man. Terrifying yes, foreboding for sure, but fickle...never.

Well, whatever his reasoning, he assumed the man had to have his reason.

"Do not fail me." The voiced intoned. "The task I have given you is of the utmost importance."

"I won't." He promised.

"Good." The comm went silent on the other end.

Luke put the comm away, his annoyance tapering off. He looked down at his padded jumpsuit. Well, it looked like he'd have to change his outfit; if he was going to go to that sweltering moon.

**.**

He looked himself over in the mirror. He had thought of entirely going informal but such a change would only undermine him in front of the men. He chose charcoal colored one, it was two shades away from black and would be appropriate for the mission.

After he had changed to climate appropriate attire, he started for the assigned hanger. Remarkably this was one of the many things that had been left unchanged. He approached it and noted the two guards on the outside.

"Sir." They saluted.

"At ease." He murmured and climbed the ramp into the shuttle.

He carried only weapons on himself and around his waist he wore a utility belt; his other gear had been stowed aboard the shuttle ahead of time. He entered the shuttle and was met by Commander Dante.

"Sir." He said formally. "Welcome aboard."

Luke inwardly rolled his eyes._Welcome aboard, as if you own this ship. What a laugh._

"Thank you, Commander. Is all ready?" He inquired.

"Yes, Sir." He gestured. "A crewman will show you to your cabin."

"No need, Commander, I can find my way myself."

"Yes, Sir, very good, Sir.."

Luke could tell the man wanted to speak further.

"Yes, Commander?"

The man hesitated. "You know, Sir, I'm not one to question...but I was of the understanding that our destination had been changed; there would be a different drop off point."

He became instantly irked.

"Your point, _Commander_."

The man seemed to shrink back at Luke's tone.

"Nothing, Sir, please relax."

"I tend to."

Luke could feel the commander's momentary frustration but quickly dismissed the feeling.

After all small fries like Commander Dante were of no importance to him. It didn't matter what the man thought of him, much less what he thought period.

He was just another cog in the wheel.


	4. Chapter 1 - Part Three

Here's the post bringing us back to Mara and Obi-Wan's part of the tale.

* * *

Note: Thanks to EmeraldJediFire (that's me) - such an invaluable source of practical tips and suggestions.

Obi-Wan had had a strange couple of nights, experiencing prescient dreams/visions of the future. They involved a blue-eyed stranger who would cross he and Mara's path and change their lives. In the dream, the gentleman was commanding and fierce the one moment and locked in a fierce battle of weapons and wills the next. Who the opponent was was hidden and unknown.

When the knock came on the door of his dwelling early one morning, Kenobi felt a strange shiver through the Force. Could this be the pivotal encounter he'd been dreaming about?

It wasn't a literal stranger who was on the other side of the door, but someone they had seen upon occasion, passingly in town.

Loran Lars was the young man who greeted Kenobi and Mara, and he was looking perplexed and rather rushed.

Loran gawked at Mara, who gave him an inscrutable, measuring glance from her green eyes. Who was he, and why did he have these droids with him?

Loran said: "This droid claims to belong to you, sir. It had a very intriguing message too from a diplomatic envoy, it looks like. The message cut off in the middle." Loran frowned. "No matter what I did, I couldn't get the whole transmission. The sender was a woman. She mentioned Bail Organa, of Alderaan, and said you would know him."

Kenobi frowned in turn.

"I never purchased these droids nor had them previously on loan. Let me see what I can uncover. Thank you very much. I do indeed know Bail Organa."

Kenobi paused, and finally he recalled where he'd seen this youth before. "I believe I've seen your family around town... Can I invite you in for a drink of something cool?"

Loran smiled. "No, thank you. I've been gone too long already. These pesky droids ... my Dad won't be happy that we apparently will have to purchase replacements."

With one last fascinated look at Mara, he departed.

Kenobi finally got the message to play.

It was from Senator Leia Organa of Alderaan, asking for assistance, immediately.

Kenobi told Mara that he and Bail were friends from long ago, and that he felt obligated to help based on that long acquaintance and Organa's famed integrity.

"Leia is a Senator in her own right, the youngest ever elected." Kenobi mused.

"I wonder why she was the one to send the message." Mara pondered. "Could something have happened to her father, or was there a special need to be ... secretive?"

Kenobi smiled at Mara's intuitive grasp of matters and her agile curiosity. These were traits he was quite accustomed to in his young pupil.

"That is something we shall have to find out." He sighed. "We will have to go to Mos Eisley and try to book passage to Alderaan as soon as possible."

Mara grinned and packed her light travel case. She felt deep in her bones a great adventure was about to start.

Behind the seemingly tranquil scene of recent events on world, a space battle raged on in the skies above Tatooine. The droids had previously made their daring escape from one of those ships, the very diplomatic cruiser from which the message had originated. The stormtroopers, tracking the last detected signal from the wayward droids, wound up at the Lars place. The Lars did not have to pretend ignorance: they had no idea what was going on, nor the import of the message or anything else the droids might contain as to information. The troopers, callous and sadistic, didn't take their word for them, and didn't care to leave witnesses to sow dissension.


	5. Chapter 1 - Part Four

Okay, another entry folks! This one on Luke's side.

**.**

**.**

"Sir?"

Luke picked his head up, putting down his datapad and hit the comm button.

"Yes, Commander?"

"We're approaching drop off point."

"Very good." He clicked off and started to gather his gear.

**.**

Five minutes later, Luke was walking down the ramp of the shuttle, flipping a shanty salute to the commander. "Commander." He said flippantly as he headed for his starfighter.

Commander Dante stood mouth agape. He couldn't quite fathom how such a cheeky youth had garnered such attention and position; it was quite baffling.

Luke frowned inwardly._ That is why you'll only remain a Commander._ He thought smartly.

.

He touched down on the planet and quickly made work of running through the post-flight check. He really hated leaving his fighter here, but a youth having his own fighter would be unheard of to such a military operation. He made his way to the appointed rendezvous point where his contact was expected to show. He retrieved his portfolio and looked it over once more.

With any luck, he would be able to get into the pilot's position. He snorted. Of course, he would; with his scores there could be no doubt.

He entered the designated place; an old junk shop and headed toward the back without stopping to acknowledge the clerk. A tall man was hunched over a datapad, obviously waiting for his recruit to arrive. He was dressed in standard coveralls. You wouldn't know he was a member of the Rebel Alliance.

He cleared his throat.

"Recruit Skywalker reporting."

The man brought his head up and stood at attention, bringing his feet together.

"Identification, Recruit."

Luke stuck his hand in his pocket and retrieved his portfolio. Once he had found it he offered it to the man. "Identification, Sir."

The man took the offered identification, looked it over and then passed it back to him.

"Very good, Recruit. I'm Lt. Daeson."

Luke offered a sloppy salute. "It's a pleasure, Sir." He then lowered his hand as if uncertain..

"Pleasures all mine, Recruit. Don't worry we'll make a military man out of you yet."

Luke straightened up, projecting confidence.

"That's what I hope for, Sir."

_Phase One complete._


	6. Chapter 1 - Part Five

Han Solo had just gotten rid of one of Jabba's hired thugs. Greedo didn't scare him a bit. Han could mop up the floor with him and his ilk before breakfast on an off-day. But Jabba was itching to get his creds back and the interst was piling up.

So, when Chewie came over with a striking young woman and an older gentleman (who incidentally could take care of himself in a barfight, apparently), Han had a feeling that the evening was just about to get more interesting.

"We need a fast ship to Alderaan." The gentleman said after the introductions.

Han went into his typical spiel, although it was all true, about the Millennium Falcon; it wasn't much to look at, but it could tear up the hyperspace lanes in no time flat, if the hyperdrive didn't go out.

Mara Jade rolled those lovely emerald eyes, as if to say: Who are you trying to impress?

They dickered about the price; Kenobi was willing to pay a lot, which tempted Han to up the fare, but he decided not to press it. He grinned inwardly. This would net him a fine profit, and get Jabba off his afterburners.

He told them which docking bay to meet him at, and they left the cantina.

Hmmmph! Storm troopers in the space port. What in the nine Correllian hells was going on? Han wondered. He hoped that his passengers weren't going to turn out to be more trouble than the money was worth.

But he and Chewie blasted them out of there with impressive speed and evasive maneuvers. Han was using one of the half-dozen masked ship IDs. His ship was running as the _Corusca Gem. _

When they reached the vicinity of Alderaan, Mara and Kenobi felt a surge through the Force. It was as if a myriad voices had cried out, and lights had gone out.

And what was this?! An asteroid field?! Unless the navcomp had gone on the fritz, and they were way off course, no it was working fine.

"There isn't an asteroid field in this system." Han mused aloud.

Kenobi's eyes were tight with anguished knowing. "That's what's left of Alderaan." He whispered.

"What?" Han exclaimed in utter shock. "What could do _that _to a world?"

Chewie indicated out the viewscreen.

A large moon-sized object floated in the near distance.

"That can't be a moon, can it?" Mara asked, in disbelief.

"No, it's a space station," Han answered. "But how did it get here?"

Kenobi frowned. "I have no idea, but I believe that is the origin of this devastation we're seeing."

The interference cleared from the sensors, and Han swore. Now that the readings were coming across more clearly, he could detect an Imperial Star Destroyer on the far side of the space station. Could this day get any worse?

Kenobi gasped. Even in the back of beyond, the markings were unmistakable: the _Executor _Vader's flagship!

Leia was totally devastated! She should have known Tarkin would be a skulking slime devil without an iota of honor. She'd given a decoy name for the Rebel base, and he'd blasted her world to smitherenes anyway!

Suddenly, her cell door burst open. A stormtrooper, apparently, was framed in it, but his demeanor was decidedly non-Imperial as was confirmed by the words he spoke:

"Leia, we got your message. I'm with Obi-Wan Kenobi. The ship and its Captain may not look like much, but he's very quick on the blaster; and his ship is fast, too."

Leia frowned. The voice was definitely a woman's.

"Who are you?" Leia asked in a hushed whisper.

"I'm Mara." Her visitor answered. "Come this way.

A few harried moments later, they had to make an escape down into, and then out of, a garbage chute. They met up at a very disreputable looking freighter not long afterwards.

Han Solo, the ship's captain, was indeed handy with a blaster, and (Leia had to admit) not unpleasant to look at, either.

Han gave Leia an admiring glance or two, as she fired a commandeered weapon at the stormtroopers who had pursued them down one of the stations's corridors.

"Where's Obi-Wan? We have to get out of here."

R2, who had been plugged into a wall jack, warbled as he brought up a display. It was a distinctly mournful sound.

They rushed over to look.

"Oh!" Mara gasped, as she felt something vanquished through the Force.

On the screen, they could see as Vader and Obi-Wan were engaged in a fierce duel of bright weapons.

Then Obi-Wan fell, and his body vanished.

"He volunteered to take out the shield and sensor array." Mara explained.

"That's our cue to get the blazes out of here!" Han exclaimed.

Leia and Mara made good their escape up the landing ramp, and the _Falcon's _engines, which had been on standby, revved up, and they blasted away.

They had to dodge and vaporize a few TIEs, but Mara and Han were able to make short work of the squadron.

Mara and Leia talked about the Rebel cause.

"Living so far from the Core Worlds," Mara commented, "The oppressiveness of the Empire was always a bit abstract to me, but I never thought it was a just or fair way to govern. My family suffered because of it, but it all happened before I could really form coherent memories. So, I guess you could say I'm a victim of the Empire's tyranny too."

"Overthrowing it is something we all must participate in; it's for the welfare of all worlds that we do. And I'm even more determined to defeat them!"

"I can believe it." Mara answered, her eyes sympathetic.

Her stomach still churned at the calamitous recent events.

Han broke into their conversation.

"Where to, now?" Han asked, wondering where his pay was going to come from, although that made him seem a callous scoundrel ... he had to think pragmatically.

"We need to get these droids and the important data stored in the R2 to **Yavin 4." **Leia answered.

"What kind of data?" Han asked.

Leia sighed. There was no harm, she guessed, in revealing something of what was so crucial; Han had saved her and the important files, after all.

"The Death Star schematics. The Rebel Alliance will be grateful for your help, Captain," She added as if reading his silent musings, "You'll be paid handsomely."

Han grinned. That was more like it!


	7. Chapter 1 - Part Six

**.**

Luke sat in an entirely different shuttle, this one not as spacious as the one he'd ridden before. He was seated in the passenger area with Lt. Daeson sitting across from him. He had his fist propped against this cheek as he attempted to pay attention. He was half-listening to what the Daeson was saying,

"As soon as we arrive at the base, we will give you an assessment." He explained.

"An assessment." Luke echoed, his attention at full.

"Yes, it required that all recruits have an assessment before placement." He looked at his dossier. "You've applied to be a pilot."

"That's right." He smiled slightly. "But I'm not bad as an engineer either."

"Really?"Daeson looked mildly interested.

Only mildly though.

That was okay, because Luke was only mildly interested by what he had to say.

Daeson remained silent for the rest of the trip, seeing as his new recruit didn't seem to want to talk much.

Again this was fine with Luke.

After this retrieval and drop off, he probably wouldn't see Daeson very often. Luke had the feeling his specialty did not include avionics and he would possibly be passed off to some other senior officer where his skills would be assessed.

That would prove to be very interesting.

.

They arrived in orbit three standard hours later above the fourth moon of Yavin which held the Alliance's secret base. Luke disembarked from the shuttle and stepped into the cavernous hanger. He examined it carefully. It wasn't much to look at but it did suit the needs relatively well he supposed.

"Impressive isn't it. This base use to be an old temple from the Masssasi people."

"The Massassi." Luke muttered. "Those are an ancient subspecies of the Sith, aren't they?"

Daeson looked at him, slightly stunned. Obviously he had expected this new recruit to gush over the size of the base, not its original keepers.

"That's correct." Daeson mumbled, looking impressed. "How did you…"

So the man thought he was a hick did he?

"Know that?" Luke gave a disarming smile. "I use to study up on other races in between doing my pilot training. I find other beings rather fascinating. Where I grew up, things were a bit dull, so I was always inventing new ways to keep myself from becoming bored."

"Ah." The man looked away as if unnerved by the youth's leering smile. "Well, come now, can't be late to your asse-" Daeson's speech petered off and Luke peered interestedly around him. "Your Highness, what a pleasant surprise."

A brunette haired woman stood dressed in an entirely white outfit, her hair in buns on the side of her head. But it wasn't this woman who held his attention; it was the one behind her.

He would have had to have been blind not to have noticed her.

.

.


	8. Chapter 1 - Part Seven

Jade_eyes: Emerald & I combined for this post. She did the part with the pilots.  
She also helped a great deal with the flow and dialogue.

GN: I also wrote the beginning part lol

She was a striking red-head with delicate skin tone and startling emerald eyes. He might have thought her just another recruit or even a technician, except for the fact that she seemed to give off a certain aura; one of vivaciousness and acute tenacity. That, and the fact she was gauging him just as much as he was looking at her.

He gave her his best sincere smile.

"Skywalker." Daeson barked, bringing Luke back to the present. "I'm sorry, Your Highness."

"Quite allright, Lieutenant."

"Ma'am." He bobbed his head. "Skywalker, may I introduce you to Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan. Princess, this is our newest recruit." He clapped a hand on Luke's shoulder. "Luke Skywalker. He's going to hopefully be in our pilot's division."

Luke averted his eyes, refocusing on Leia Organa. So this was the princess of Alderaan. He dipped his head in suitable deference.

"Your Highness, it's-ahem-a pleasure to meet you."

Leia gave her most courteous smile, one she had practiced and mastered growing up in the Alderaanian culture and then as a senator. She kept her true thoughts and opinions behind that cool display of proper decorum, but this time, she was sincere.

Leia could tell, somehow, that Luke Skywalker was trying to impress ... or give a particular impression. She frowned, trying to puzzle it out.

"I'm sure you'll prove yourself to be of use." She commented.

"I sincerely hope so." Luke refocused his attention on the red-head. "Now, I don't believe I caught your name."

"Mara Jade, and I hope you know what you've signed up for." She smirked. He looked like he'd just arrived from the far back-of-beyond, even farther away and more backward than Tatooine.

When Luke had arrived with Daeson, Mara had noticed him instantly. He seemed a bit too ... confident for a new recruit, like he was patronizing Daeson for one thing.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't. I've seen what the war is like. I I just want to do my part. Also, I needed a change of pace ... maybe with a little bit of excitement added to the mix."

Luke gave Mara a smile that she thought must have worked ... or that he hoped worked ... on the easily swayed girls back home.

It wasn't working on her, Mara thought. Although she'd be less than honest if she didn't admit his were the bluest eyes she'd ever seen, and that cleft in his chin, and the way his broad shoulders ...

Pushing those thoughts aside, she gave an almost mocking smile.

"Well, I think this will be more than a regular change of pace, if what I've just gone through is anything. It's no switching your sweeteners just for kicks." Mara answered, stepping a bit closer to Luke.

Luke gave Mara a wide-eyed look, as if surprised by the witty comeback. This lady spoke her mind, without hesitation. He found he liked it.

However, before he could quite summon up a suitable reply, Leia joined them.

"Mara, would you like to take a seat over there for a moment or two? I'd like to talk about whatever skills you have that might help us or anyone you'd like us to contact for you? I'm sorry there hasn't been time to ask that before now."

Mara nodded. "Sure." She went to a row of seats across the reception lounge.

Luke watched Mara go. He couldn't seem to take his eyes off of her.

Leia smiled at Luke's obvious fascination.  
"Another batch of pilots just arrived. Let me introduce you, since you'll be working together?"

Luke was introduced to the three pilots, Wedge Antilles, Derek 'Hobbie' Klivian and Wes Janson. The princess had found it necessary for him to meet his future potential squadron mates. Of course, Luke didn't have any doubt that he would soon be joining their ranks, so this was merely a preliminary in his mind.

"..he'll be flying with you." Leia introduced. "So make him feel welcome."

"So, where do you come from, Luke?" Klivian inquired.

"Here and there." He answered glibly. "I moved around a lot."'

"Any particular here and there?" Janson asked.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Nowhere special really. I don't really have a homeworld." He couldn't help but feel a twinge as he acknowledged this. He quickly brushed it aside.  
He didn't need a homeworld, he had his career.

"Well, that's all in the past now isn't it?" Wedge said, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Let's make the best out of now. I have a feeling you are going to fit right in, my friend."

Luke surreptitiously looked to where Mara was talking with the other techs.  
"I think I will." He agreed

**End Chapter 1**

* * *

I am so thrilled to all the people who are reading this. Please review and tell us what you think...We really want to know your thoughts on this story! (smiles)


	9. Chapter 2 - Part One

Note: This will be the start of Chapter 2..(part one of it anyway). More of Luke. Han and Leia snark (courtesy of Jade_eyes) And Mara.. She and Luke should get more interaction for the next part.

**.**

After Luke had exchanged a few more words with his fellow pilots, they were ushered to the debriefing room.

"Skywalker," a tall blond bearded man intercepted him.

"Sir." He said, studying the name plate. "General Madine."

"I hear you're a good pilot." Madine said, gauging Luke with serious eyes.

_And I hear you're a traitor._

"I guess that depends on what your definition of good is."

"Well, from what I've seen." He brought out a dossier and scrolled through it. "You have the highest scores I've ever seen from any military academy. Pinpoint accuracy even. Amazing reflexes."

He gave a tight smile. "I guess that is good."

"Extremely." He gave his own tight smile and stuck out his hand. "We're happy to have you aboard."

He widened his eyes in surprise. "Just like that?" He inquired cautiously. "What about the assessment? Lt. Daeson said there would be one."

"Normally that would be the case, but you're scores are quite excellent; I think I can make an allowance."

"Sounds good." He reached out and grasped the man's hand, shaking it. "Shall we?"

Madine nodded briskly and turned in the opposite direction. Luke watched him for a moment before making his way to the debriefing room. He took in his surroundings noticing Antillies, Klivian, and Janson sitting off to one side. He didn't see the princess or the red-head; he figured they must've been off plotting their next grand tactic.

-

Leia sank into one of the lounge's long couches with a cool drink and glanced across to where Mara was working with the other techs.

Han Solo noticed she was currently unoccupied and cornered her and practically demanded his payment.

"Hey, Your Glory, I didn't think you guys were the sort that would renege on an agreement."

"We're not." Leia retorted.

"Well, I guess I don't have to point out that I have obligations." He insisted. "I could be a real hard-nosed lout and charge interest by the day."

Leia scowled. "Are all Correllians as mercenary as you are? No, don't answer that." She rolled her eyes. "You'll get your pay, but I'm not going to promise interest, not by a long haul!"

"Either way, if I don't have creds in my hand by tomorrow, I'm out of here." Han replied. He needed the money but he needed to keep on the move, more; he couldn't afford to be on a track that Jabba's minions could trace. He was careful, of course; but the longer he stayed in one place ...

"Suit yourself, flyboy." Leia snarked back.

Han gave her a cold glower and strode off.

Leia sighed with relief.

She had better things to do than wrangle with a fool, although it did keep her from dwelling too long or too much on recent events. She glanced over to Mara's work area and grinned surreptitiously. Mara was having a heated exchange with one of the techs, it appeared.

****

Mara glared at Virana Ki, one of the computer techs.

"Look, I never said I was a certified slicer. I just got high marks in technical courses. It's not helping that you're just hovering."

Virana huffed and stalked away.

Mara harrumphed. "Well, she finally wised up." She grinned. Mara knew more than she let on, about laying false trails and other things. She had done so out of a fierce competition with her male classmates who patronized her to no end. "I'll show you!" And she had.

R2 bleeped and tootled.

Mara snorted. It almost sounded like the droid knew what she had been doing and approved, somehow.

Within moments, she had extracted the plans and went to hand them to Leia and Madine, who nodded and smiled their thanks.


	10. Chapter 2 - Part Two

Note: Emerald did the briefing scene. We brainstormed etc. on the L/M chat after.

GN Note: I used a New Hope to help me with the debriefing room scene, the words are generally the same but modify so I wouldn't to suit story format.

Luke sat in the debriefing room, as General Dodonna, explained what the pilots were seeing on the screen.

He narrowed his eyes at the image. The Death Star, he thought.

"We have analyzed the plans of the battle station provided to us by Princess Leia and have discovered a weakness." He switched views showing what appeared to be a trench. "Since this approach will not be easy, you will maneuver your fighter down this trench, skimming the surface up until this point." He zoomed the schematics in. The target is exactly two meters wide; it's a small thermal exhaust port right bellow the main port.

"The thermal exhaust port leads down into the shaft which is connected to the reactor system. A precise hit should be able to penetrate the system thereby starting a chain reaction which will destroy the station." He paused and reiterated. "Only a precise hit."

Luke studied the design barely able to blink. How could such a flaw exist in a weapon like that? It seemed implausible, even if it was ray-shielded.

"….ray-shielded, so you'll have to use proton torpedoes." Dodonna finished saying.

"That's impossible," Wedge objected, "Even for a computer."

Hardly. He thought. It's no different from hitting fuselage on the back of a starfighter,

Nearby a voice issued a comment, repeating nearly identical thoughts.

"If you can hit the engine on a common starfighter I don't see how impossible it is." Mara murmured, under her breath. "And the reactor won't be moving."

Luke cast a glance over his shoulder, startlingly impressed. He favored her with a smile, his gaze approving.

Mara smirked back. She liked needling the pilots, especially the good-looking, blue-eyed one. Mara thought silently. He seemed to know a bit, maybe even a lot more, than the other new recruits.

Dodonna dismissed the pilots and Luke smiled at Mara as he began to mingle briefly with the other pilots, talking about starfighters and other things, but his eyes kept straying to Mara.

*****~~~

Luke answered Wedge's question about ray shielding causing too much of a problem.

"You'll just have to target tighter and lock in a different firing sequence to make the effect more intense." Janson interjected. "How did that lovely redhead know so much?"

Klivian snorted. "Don't get your hopes up, Wes. She was trying to impress someone else in our little group."

Wedge laughed.

"You?"

Hobbie sighed. "I am not that lucky. I think it was Skywalker."

Luke felt an inner surprise. Really?

He gave an enigmatic smile to this last comment and the group parted ways.

As soon as that conversation broke up, he made his way over to Mara, as if eager to have a few words with her.

_Let's talk, _he seemed to mouth.

Mara gave an inner shrug. She couldn't quite decide if she wanted to talk with him or not ... to get better acquainted.  
She blinked, surprised by his boldness but at the same time not surprised.

Mara was half-tempted to turn his smug, arrogant self down, but was slightly interested in what exactly he wanted. She followed him out, catching up with him quickly.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Mara asked briskly.

"Wow, you get right to the point. No small talk hmm?"

She resisted the urge to grit her teeth.

"Get to the point, Skywalker."

"I just wanted to talk to you." He paused. "That was extremely good insight… I have to admit you….intrigue me"

"I intrigue you." She deadpanned. Inside, she smiled. Boys her age had always flirted, or tried to. But they were clumsy at it. Luke Skywalker, whatever else she could say about him, was no social illiterate. He seemed to mean what he said, at least to her.

"That's right. Something about you I can't put my finger on…"

Han Solo was making his way down the corridor and looking like a thundercloud.

"If he doesn't get something more tangible than a thank you, he's out of here." Mara observed.

"How sorry would you be to see him go?" Luke asked casually.

Mara shrugged and admitted: "It makes no difference to me one way or the other, but he seems a decent sort, handy in a crunch situation."

"Ah, I see. You have a soft spot for the more roguish types." Luke probed.

Mara shot him a cool look. What's it to you, anyhow? She wondered silently.

Luke continued: "…or maybe secretly you prefer my devilish charms but don't want to admit it."

Mara scoffed. "That's only in your dreams; do you always think women are fawning over you?"

"Not always. Just the one's that keep looking my way…I can't help it if your eyes wander of their own accord in my direction." Luke grinned.

"Whatever could have happened to give you such a high opinion of yourself?" She wondered aloud.

Luke laughed.

"Nothing wrong with a bit of self-confidence, is there?"

Mara rolled her eyes. "You call that, a bit?"

He grinned. In his usual circle of acquaintance, none dared to be as forthright, for whatever reason. This was refreshing.

"You know, Jade, it wouldn't hurt to spend a little time with me, just to see if I am right to be intrigued and whether your skepticism is justified." Luke suggested.

"I may be pleasantly surprised and change my mind about you, if we spend more time together?" Mara asked, doubtfully. "You don't think it might go the other way: I decide I was right, after all?"

"You'll never know, otherwise, will you?"

Mara had to admit he had a point.

She grudgingly nodded. "Allright, Skywalker. I'll take you up on your ... challenge? Dare? But don't get ahead of yourself."

Luke grinned in secret triumph.

She wasn't part of his mission parameters, but she sure made the whole endeavor more interesting.

+++_


	11. Chapter 2 - Part Three

Note: Jade_eyes and mine major collab focus was the action scene.

After his conversation with the red-head, he broke away and headed off to join the other fighter pilots. He contemplated how he was going to deal with the actual assault on the Death Star when a subtle pressure occurred behind his right eye—almost as if someone was pushing on it. HE stopped for a moment at the unexpected pain.

_**I trust all is going well.**_ The tone inferred that all had better be.

_**Why wouldn't it be?**_ Luke replied flippantly. _**Other than this sudden headache, everything's going swell.**_ The sarcasm was evident.

The voice snapped, _**I would watch your tone, boy. Your flighty tongue does not bode well for you—I would have killed you long ago had you not served my purpose.**_

Luke wanted to say something else, but he decided not to push his luck. It was always an amazement that the man tolerated him for this long. Truth be told, he wasn't sure why he had made it this far or even lasted this long.

He kept walking, trying to keep up the façade that all was normal.

_**Of course, my Lord.**_ He said, taking on the humble serving act. _**You are gracious as ever.**_

If the other had noticed Luke's duplicitous nature he didn't comment on it.

_**Report, boy,**_ He instructed after a moment.

_**I have successfully infiltrated the Rebel base**_. He stated, bypassing rows of X-wings as well as pilots and techs. _**I have been made privy to their plans; they mean to destroy the Death Star.**_

_**That cannot happen.**_

_**Of that I am well aware of, my Lord. While I'm up in the fighter I will be able to hinder their operations.**_

_**Then they have successfully taken you into their confidence?**_

_**Yes.**_

_**Well done, boy.**_

He had finally come to his assigned X-wing.

"Is everything ready?" He asked the tech.

"Yep, fueled and ready to go. Your astromech has already been installed in its socket."

Luke looked up at the R2 unit.

"Good."

He turned aside and reached out yet again. The man had not broken the connection and he considered not voicing his other concern. Focus on the mission, his rational mind told him, but he couldn't dismiss this.

_**My Lord, if I may have a moment of your time?**_

_**What is it?**_ He sounded very much annoyed at this moment.

_**I normally wouldn't broach the subject, my Lord, but I have encountered the traitor Madine. What should I do about him?**_

There was silence for a long while.

_**Sire?**_

_**Do nothing.**_ He commanded resolutely. _**Focus on the mission at hand; we shall deal with Madine later.**_

Sensing that the time for departure was imminent, Luke began climbing the ladder to his fighter. He bit the inside of his cheek as he went. He couldn't tolerate the idea of letting a traitor like Madine get away scot free. He wanted the man to answer to his treason and defection. Irritation boiled beneath the surface of his mind. But his Lord was right, now was not the time to confront Madine, which would occur at a later time.

He swung up into the cockpit.

_**Of course, my Lord.**_ He gave a practiced sigh. _**I'm afraid I must go now. It's almost time for the assault.**_

_**Very well.**_

The connection was cut and Luke pulled himself back to the present. He glanced around at his surroundings as he pulled his helmet on. He secured the strap under the chin, pulling the shield down over his face. He watched as other fighter pilots scrambled around, heading for their own fighters. The sirens were going off. He had mostly tuned them out while he was having his chat, but now he had become more aware of their blaring nature.

It was a call to revolution.

A revolution he was now a part of. He smiled tightly. Here we go.  
**.**  
"All pilots report in." Madine's voice came over the channel.

He squashed a note of irritation at hearing the man's voice. The role call went down the line until it came to him.

"Red 5 standing by," Luke announced.

"Lock S-foils in attack position." Red leader responded.

Luke followed, keeping formation. He gave a quick scan of the area, his eyes finally falling on their target. He bit the inside of his cheek. He had to make sure that battle station remained unharmed. Though frankly he wasn't as worried as he might have been; despite the Rebels' plans, their piloting skills would be no match for the canons that littered the surface of the Death Star. The Emperor had not been so dull-witted that he would leave weak point like that unprotected…

Then again, there had been an opening to begin with, he thought with much irritation.

Suddenly, stream of TIE fighters were released and Luke braced himself for the battle. He evaded the first barrage, banking to port as a flurry of green laser fire arched toward him. He deftly dodged the enemy fighter—well aware that his compatriots were doing likewise. With every meter they gained forward, more fighters were released, more Rebel pilots were lost.

They were now rapidly approaching the proximity of the Death Star and he could hear Control instructing the first squad to begin the first run. Meanwhile, he spent time juking from one side to the other, growing more irate by the second. He had never quite liked the TIE fighter pilots.

He watched as a fighter closed on another X-wing's tail and broke away to aid him.

_Showtime._

He narrowed his eyes, locking on his target, and fired a succession of rapid laser bolts. The TIE fighter caught them all in its stern and exploded in a ball of fire.

"Thanks…" the nameless pilot said.

"No problem." Luke said, grinning. "Just don't make it a habit."

"I'll try not to, Skywalker."

"Now, which of you overconfident flyjocks can shoot down that?" Klivian demanded.

"You certainly can't, even if it was marked in red, white, and blue." Janson retorted.

"Speak for yourself. Your luck with the ladies unfortunately often transfers itself into the targeting lock."

Laughter flowed across the comm channels, before Wedge silenced everyone with a quick reminder to keep all channels clear except for Control.

"Red Group, launch. Blue and Gold, follow on my mark in staggered formation. We don't want to give them all we've got at once." Came the voice over the Control channel.

**

"First squad is away and engaging the TIES." Madine reported to Leia and Mon Mothma.

Leia frowned. "I hope these newest recruits are up to the challenge." She winced. She knew firsthand what the Death Star was capable of. She would hate to have any casualties but it seemed inevitable.

Mon Mothma placed a consoling hand on Leia's shoulder. Mon Mothma was even more like Leia's mother or aunt, now, Leia reflected.

She could see Mara at one of the communications consoles, handling the traffic between the star-fighters and main control.

***

Luke was homing in on the target, but at the last minute, he shifted slightly to the right, so as not to show his prowess on one hand, nor take out the Emperor's prize weapon.

The fighter had been slightly less responsive than he'd expected. Was this the best the Rebels had to offer, or had the technician missed something crucial?

Luke frowned; so far he was managing.

Luke fired off another barrage at an incoming TIE fighter, smiling secretly at the irony of the situation.

Suddenly, there was a grinding thunk! An alarm went off.

Something in the gravitic dampener had given way.

The R2 squawked, and Luke and Wedge had a quick exchange.

"Blast it." A flash of irritation shot through him.

"Something wrong, Luke?" Wedge asked.

_Luke._ How easily this Rebel called him by his given name. Well, given as far as he knew…but that wasn't the point."

Luke sighed heavily, "There's something wrong with my fighter, I don't think I'll be able to make the run. Why this karking astromech didn't pick up on this, much less that inept tech who cleared me!"

Wedge's frown could be heard over the comm. "All right, just get out of here. I don't want you jeopardizing yourself further."

Luke pulled back on the yoke and winced, suddenly noticing he had some abrasions and lacerations where his flight helmet and some instruments had flown around the cockpit as the gravity fluctuated.

"Right. " He tried to keep the pain out of his voice.

"Something wrong?"

"Just a few bruises and scrapes. I'll be fine." He assured, as he broke with formation.

He'd failed.

_Well, he's certainly going to be in a fantastic mood._ He thought bitterly.

***

"It looks like Red Five has a problem." Mara reported.

Leia grimaced. "Already?"

Mara showed them the readout.

"That finicky R2!" Leia exclaimed. "Give Skywalker the astromech that brought us the Death Star's technical data while we run diagnostics on the original one."

Mara chuckled wryly. "He'll probably want to keep the one you're giving him."

Leia laughed. "I don't doubt it. While you're at it, send a medic to check Skywalker out as well."

Mara nodded and did so.

_


	12. Chapter 2 - Part Four

Note: The part between Luke and Mara was a collab effort between JE and I.

*

Han scowled, as he watched the unfolding battle.

The star-fighters were holding their own, just barely. They were outnumbered for one thing, and that behemoth of a space station tipped the odds way on the Imps' side, even before the TIEs were scrambled.

He sighed. No one would ever accuse Han of being an altruistic sort, but he didn't want to see anyone mown under.

The Imps had never done him any favors, either.

He frowned.

What can I do against these scumdogs, either? He wondered.

What the frack. He liked heavy odds, but this was absurd.

He dove into the midst of the fray.

At his side, he could hear Chewie's rumble of approval.

When Leia saw what was unfolding on the scopes, she felt something tumble and flutter in her stomach.

That Correllian fool. She almost fumed.

Was it worry, or might she be just a teensy bit impressed by his heroics?

No, impossible.

The squadrons were heavily engaged, as the _Millennium Falcon_ provided firing strength and cover.

Mara approached Luke as he was intercepted by a medic who hastily applied a bacta-bandage.

"Looks like you're grounded." She observed, with more than a hint of sympathy, but she infused her tone with snark for good measure.

"Try not to gloat too obviously, Jade. Anyway, it's an insane man that is willing to court Death. I'm no martyr." Luke gauged her cooly. "I don't plan on dying, I didn't come here for that."

She frowned. "Forgive me if I hit a nerve." She smirked. "They'll be giving you a new astromech at any rate."

Luke gave a weary look. "More reliable than the last one I hope."

"It should be. It was the one we brought in."

Luke grimaced. "As long as I don't have to be stuck with 3PO, I'll be satisfied. All through the pilot briefing, I could hear him grousing."

Mara groaned. "I had to listen to him all the way out here! Totally an unpleasant experience."

Luke examined her face, noting the way her eyes flashed. '"Say, I have an idea." He checked out the bandage before pulling his sleeve down over it. "Since I'm to remain grounded, how about a drink?"

Mara considered him for a bit then said:

"I don't think that would be wise. I still have a job to do."

"That's a shame. I thought you said you were going to give me a chance."

"I am, but I don't think the time is right, now, do you?" She seemed to challenge him.

He smiled slightly. "I suppose not." He got up off the box. "I'll see you around then."

She smirked once more. "You might, I need to get back to Control."

He watched her as she left.

When the woman disappeared from sight, he expelled a breath he'd been holding.

Now alone he had time to think about things-to think about his failure.

Somehow, someway, his ship had become faulty. It seemed almost impossible that a certified technician would overlook such a critical flaw in the fighter's overall system. He couldn't help but feel that something was off...could they have a suspicion? No, the Rebels couldn't possibly know about his allegiances. He'd been very careful and considered himself quite the skilled actor. They all believed he was who he said he was.

Well, all except for Mara.

He was heading in the direction of a coridor.

Yes, that woman alone seemed to see through all his bluster. She was an interesting creature; obviously bright with a discerning mind. He liked that.

Luke felt the backlash as the thousands of lives were extinguished on the Death Star. He shuddered at the awkward feel of it. It wasn't that he was close to anyone in the Empire, he kept mostly to himself, but that still didn't stop him from feeling a sudden end like this. He shook it off with a growl.

Luckily, he was alone in an empty corridor.

Soon the Rebels would return and rejoice over their victory.

The voice that suddenly erupted in his mind was a menacing hiss.

**_You incompetent fool! You have failed me most miserably!_**

Palpatine beat down onto him, infusing his words with the Force, assaulting his brain.

His head pounded with the pressure Palpatine put on it. It felt as though the Dark Lord were grabbing it in a vice and attempting to crush it.

He stumbled in agony, his legs giving out beneath him as he fell to his knees. He cradled his head, groaning in pain.

**_Are you suffering, boy? That is good. Perhaps you will learn not to fail me—and keep your mind where it belongs. I did not send you on this mission to fraternize with the enemy._** There was a heavy pause. **_Do you understand me?_**

The pressure eased off, and Luke lowered his hand. He willed the pain to disperse.

**_I understand…my Lord._**

**_And that is another thing…your impertinence is barely tolerable. Until you have gained a subservient tongue, do not refer to me in that capacity._**

Luke was very aware how Palpatine wanted him referred to, though as far as Luke was concerned, he was no Master of his. He might serve the man as his Lord Emperor, but he'd never felt that Palpatine had ever been a true Master.

And considering how Palpatine regarded him in general, he believed he was fully justified in his feelings. Luke was a Hand, but since Palpatine preferred female Hands, he had taken to labeling Luke an "agent".

He bit back his pride and the instantaneous defensive retort.

**_Yes, Master._** He uttered, climbing steadily to his feet..

Palpatine disappeared from his mind without uttering a single word. He did that at times, popping in randomly and withdrawing just as quickly. It wasn't anything new.

He leaned against the wall, waiting for the pain to subside gradually. He could hear the rejoicing from far-off by now. The pilots had returned to Yavin and were celebrating their victory. He wondered who had taken the lucky shot that destroyed his Lord's station. No doubt Palpatine would want the man dealt with—he would do so in time.

His lip curled as he pushed off the wall.

He sought out the crowd. Perhaps with the battle done, he could talk Mara into an actual drink this time.

He passed a gaggle of pilots all carousing and celebrating. He shook his head half in disgust. Not that it concerned him, not entirely anyway. He had no love for the small cogs of the Empire, only the Empire itself.

It was a pity that station had been destroyed. It meant more work for him—and a cross Lord. He rubbed his head, still feeling a slight throbbing.

He bumped into someone. "Ah, look, it's Luke!" Hobbie exclaimed. "We were wondering where you'd gone. Shame you missed all the action. Isn't that right, Wes?"

Wes grinned. "Oh, yeah, shame."

"Just a rotten luck of the draw." He said, giving them a disarming smile. "There'll be other battles." He sighed dramatically.

"Guess we'll see you at the ceremony." Wes said.

"Ceremony?"

"Apparently they're rewarding this….Solo guy."

Solo, he knew that name.

"What did he do?" Luke asked off-handedly.

"Helped rescue the Princes and provided cover for the guy who took the shot apparently."

The shot.

The shot that had destroyed Palpatine's station.

"Who is he?"

"Uh, someone named….Darklighter."

Darklighter. He thought then filed that name away for another time. All Rebels would pay in due time. "I'll see you there…I've got to ah…Nature calls." He said, fumbling in his explanation.

"Gotcha." Hobbie nodded. "See you there!"

"See you!" Luke called back.

Right now, he needed to deal with another eyesore  
.

He came upon the man seemingly by chance. Well, not entirely by chance, he'd intentionally sought him out. But of course, General Crix Madine was none the wiser.

"General Madine…" He said, smiling.

"Skywalker." Madine acknowledged. "Can I help you with something?"

He shook his head, putting on the act. "No, I'm just a bit disappointed I didn't get to do my part."

"Yes, it's a shame about your fighter."

"It is." He nodded forlornly.

"Well, a live pilot is better than a dead one." Madine offered somberly. "I'm glad your skills aren't being wasted so easily, we need pilots like you."

Luke ducked his head. "Thank you, General, that's quite an honor." He sighed.

"Are you sure nothing's wrong?"

He flashed a smile. "You got me. There is one….small problem."

"Oh?"

His eyes turned steely. "Traitors like you."


	13. Chapter 2 - Part Five (Final)

So, is Luke in deep poodoo or will he get out of this...let's see:

Just as he spoke the words, by luck of the draw, fate seemed to reward him. A loud commotion broke out at the end of the hall and Luke's words were promptly drowned out. To make it even better, Madine had turned away from Luke to face the pilots who had been talking loudly and horse-playing.

"Soldiers!" He snapped. " Have some decorum for kriff's sake; this isn't a playground. Don't you have somewhere to be right now?"

The pilots saw him, froze and issued, "Sorry, General," before leaving the area.

Luke grabbed a hold of his emotions and shoved them to the way side. His hard stare relaxed, turning to the soft clear blue. When Madine turned back to face him, he was in check once more.

"I'm sorry, Skywalker, the excitement of the victory is going to everyone's head it appears. Now, you were saying you had a problem."

He shook his head.

"It's nothing, General, just some minor qualms about the state of my X-wing is all." He tilted his head. "I was just wondering if it's usual for an X-wing tech to make an oversight like that. It's been…" He bit his lip. "...bothering me. If I didn't know better I'd think it was sabotage, at the worst, or incompetence, which I cannot believe."

"Sabotage, huh?" Madine mulled over this. "Don't you worry; we have people looking into it."

"All right." He looked off to the side, the crowd had disappeared.

"Everyone is heading to the grand hall for the ceremony. I think we should too."

"You're right." He responded. "After you, General."

Madine nodded and turned away from him.

After watching Madine for a few moments, Luke followed after the man. He and the general walked in total silence neither man saying a word.

Given the circumstances, he really couldn't afford to throw any more suspicion on himself. He knew that begging off for a second bathroom break would be noted as would any other excuse he might make. The distraction by the pilots had saved him; he had let his emotions get the better of him and had almost jeopardized his entire mission.

He could say it was because of his frustration with the inept technician who'd cleared him, or the failure of his mission, or even Palpatine's constant haranguing. No, no matter what excuse he made, all were just that, mere excuses; scapegoats for his own inadequacy. It had been because he was unable to control himself and contain his volatile temper that he had almost blown his cover. He had forgotten every teaching the old lord had taught, and nearly destroyed his own future.

He would make sure it never happened again.

.

The hallways were empty as he and Madine made their way toward the ceremony. He would wager that the whole base was probably already there—and by the sound of the trumpets blaring away a second later, he confirmed that the ceremony had just started. The smuggler Solo would probably be given a medal, for rescuing the princess and aiding in the destruction of the Death Star. Darklighter would also be there to receive accolades.

A thought then occurred to him.

"General, wasn't there another party besides Solo who went on to save the princess; Ms. Jade?"

Madine turned to him. "I believe so." He frowned

Luke cautiously made his way to the side entrance. He looked over the scores of soldiers, techs, and other personnel from his spot on the sidelines.

"Then why isn't she also up there?"

The general blinked, processing Skywalker's query, and then stepped up beside the young man. He quickly scanned the crowd and didn't see the Jade woman anywhere, but when he swept the crowd again he found her standing near the back with the techs, passively watching the ceremony.

The red-head was hard to miss in a sea of brown, black and blond.

"I don't know," Madine mumbled. "But we can't help that right now, the ceremony's already started and I'm due at the front." He ordered, "Take your place with the pilots, Skywalker."

Madine then made his way to where the officers were standing.

Luke followed Madine's lead and slowly made it over to where the pilots were standing. He stepped in behind Wedge, murmuring a low apology for his tardiness. Princess Leia Organa was currently making some impassioned speech about valor and sacrifice.

Leia smiled at Mon Mothma's suggestion.

"Thank you. I'd be honored to present the medals."

Mon Mothma's glance took in Solo and Darklighter.

"They really were invaluable to us and our cause." She commented.

Leia scowled. "I'm sure that Solo hopes for some kind of tangible reward."

She silently added that she hoped he wouldn't cause a spectacle.

She had to admit he looked very dashing, however.

Although, that was completely irrelevant.

***

Do I really want to be part of this? Han grumped to himself. He wasn't in for long, eloquent speeches by those who enjoyed hearing themselves talk. Nor was he used to being the center of attention.

Chewie was not as forthrightly not looking forward to the whole ordeal. Being very accepting of it, as a matter of fact. Comes with the whole altruistic bit, he supposed.

Han wouldn't mind it, however, if the so unflappable Leia Organa wanted to thank him personally, although he doubted she would ever stoop to such a thing.

****

Mara had politely declined being one of the medal recipients. She wasn't instrumental in bringing down the enormous and formidable space station, as had Solo and Darklighter.

Leia and Mon Mothma were going to make speeches before presenting the medals.

"I hope this is not going to take too long." she muttered.

Mara was dressed in a pastel-colored blouse and gray slacks. Very utilitarian and comfortable.

She noticed one of the pilots, Wedge? Glancing her way appreciatively after that last comment.

****

Wedge, who was close enough and standing with the pilots, had indeed overheard.

"I, too, hope this won't take too long." He smirked. Mara Jade was a looker. No wonder Luke couldn't keep his eyes from her.

Mon Mothma, mercifully, did make her speech about heroics and freedom from oppression short and to the point.

Then Leia stepped up to present medals to Darklighter and Solo and his co-pilot.

Wedge watched the subtle nonverbals between the lovely and elegant Leia Organa and the suave Captain. The Captain had actually winked at Leia, and although she tried to glower, her lips had definitely turned up in a begrudging smile.

Unless he missed his guess, there was some unconscious sparks starting there.

Suddenly, there was a soft, surreptitious step as someone slipped in beside him.

"Sorry, I'm late," A voice said.

Wedge turned to look at Luke.

"What took you so long?"

"I was talking to Madine, voicing my concerns about the fighter I was given," He let a note of frustration enter his voice. "…took longer than I thought."

"Ah, any resolution?" He murmured quietly, focusing part way on the stage.

"He says they're looking into it." A sigh.

He spotted Mara out of the corner of his eyes, on the other side of Wedge. "Hello, Mara."

Mara smirked. "Nice of you to join us, Skywalker."

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it." He smiled congenially.

"Then don't you think it's better if you have your eyes forward."

He chuckled at her sarcastic remark and turned to face forward. The princess was concluding the ceremony, thanking each and every person there for their valiant efforts and encouraging they remain strong in the continuing battle against the Empire. Mon Mothma dismissed them and everyone began to file out in an orderly fashion, beginning at the back.

Luke broke rank slightly and stepped up beside Mara.

"Great ceremony, huh." He said conversationally.

She smiled in return. "It was, now if only someone had been on time."

"I made it just on time." He countered pleasantly.

Underneath the surface irritation spiked. He shoved it aside

"So, what about that drink we talked about?"

On the edge of his peripheral, he was vaguely aware of Wedge, Hobbie, and Wes watching them. He knew later he'd probably be harassed to divulge all.

"Actually I believe you were the one who was talking about a drink." She said with another smirk.

Luke waited patiently.

Mara smiled. Her work was finished, and Luke was interesting to her because he seemed to hold a great deal of confidence and poise, but he wasn't overly pushy with it. And he certainly was the best looking of the pilots. Those clear blue eyes reflected all his moods: challenging, thoughtful, and flirtatious.

They made their way over to the bar and ordered fizzy drinks.

"How'd you like helping out with the techs?" Luke asked.

Mara replied: "I was glad to have something useful to do that fit in with what I know how to do. There's nothing worse than feeling like you're only being included out of courtesy and then relegated to some trivial task. I know you were looking forward to showing your piloting skills." She shrugged in sympathy.

"Yes, well, I have to admit that malfunction was odd; even a bit troubling." Luke answered honestly. "It makes me question this whole operation frankly—a shoddy oversight like that." He sighed heavily, and twirled the straw in his drink absentmindedly.

He thought back to his Master for a brief moment.

No doubt Palpatine felt the same frustration and dubiousness about him, and he couldn't afford to push the Emperor's infamously short fuse any more than he had today.

The Emperor had no tolerance for anything that even hinted at ineptitude.

He shook it off and changed topics.

"So, you like it here so far. Everyone is treating you well?"

Mara nodded. "Yes, everything's going well." She did some reflection of her own, smiling. "I have to admit there certainly is an interesting mix of personalities in this group. I like Leia, and Solo and the other pilots seem decent enough."

Luke grimaced. "Wes and Hobbie ... even on short acquaintance, I can tell they're ... eternal pranksters. I have a feeling I'll be pressed to "kiss and tell" after this."

Mara sighed. "Just so they don't make me the brunt of one of their jokes, I'll be happy enough."

"Don't worry, I'll protect your good name." He said jokingly.

"Is that so?"

They studied each other. He noticed the area was mostly empty and could feel a sudden heaviness settling over him. It took him a moment but he finally realized what it was; his body was slowing down.

He was tired.

"Looks like everyone's gone." He commented. "I guess we'd better turn in too. Who knows what will be on the agenda for tomorrow."

"Probably strategy meetings or some such." Mara replied. "Those will probably run long, to make up for the interminable speeches we didn't have to listen to tonight."

He chuckled.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Guess so."

**End - Chapter 2**


	14. Chapter Three - Part One

Jade_eyes Note: EJF and I worked to set up the next situation which will show L/M working together as part of a team, among other things.

**Chapter 3**

It had been two weeks since the "incident". He was surprised at the relaxed nature of the Alliance despite its military facade-though it was more disgust if he was truthful. He would have been sure that Madine would have either recalled his words somehow or reflected on their conversation-if you could call it that-about the fighter. He figured that he would have been called out after speaking so forthright, but he had not been, and that was what fueled his disgust.

The Rebellion was an incompetent, lax bunch; a rag tag band of Rebels that acted like they were a true military instead of the traitors they really were.

He chewed on his lip; an odd habit of his and looked across the way. Mara Jade was seated on the other side of the shuttle. He and Jade had gotten rather close in these past weeks and they had taken to hanging out frequently, though truth be told, he really didn't try to form any type of relationships beyond her and the pilots.

A big surprise that had come right after the battle; Solo had stuck around despite his self-centered persona earlier on and even had taken to finding time to talk to him frequently. Luke didn't mind the smuggler much, he was a little brash and egotistical, but there was really nothing particularly wrong with him. Plus, it was amusing to see the famed Leia Organa's feathers ruffled by him.

The person he least tried to reach out to was Organa-even though he should have. Oh, he had frequent talks with her but it was more of a superficial level. She was generally congenial toward him given the fact that he was obviously becoming friendly with Mara-how friendly they wouldn't know.

What he could say, was Mara was indeed warming up to him. Maybe she wasn't falling for his charms like any other woman; she saw through him all too well. She didn't voice it but he could tell from her tone and body language that she wasn't easily ensnared. That's when Luke decided he would have to tone it down and try a bit of truth.

The truth being that he did indeed find her enthralling. Mara was good-looking and had a feisty personality that intrigued him.

Organa was seated next to him, dressed in a gray jumpsuit going over the dossier.

"Now, does everyone know what we're doing?" She asked, eyes regarding her group.

Han was sitting across from her, arms behind his head. "Why exactly can't we take the Falcon? She's the fastest ship we've got."

"Also, the most known, Han." Leia responded. "Or do you want Jabba to come after you?"

He winced at the princess' retort.

Chewie woofed out loud.

"Laugh it up, fuzzball." Han said , looking irritated at his co-pilot.

"Anyway, the Falcon is not suited for our mission. We need to look professional for the people we're meeting, an actual delegation."

"Then why is it that it's you, me, Chewie, Jade, and Mr. Sunshine over there?" Why isn't Madine here or Mon Mothma?"

Luke raised his eyebrow at the nickname. It had been brought on by Luke's mostly serious demeanor.

"First of all, it's General Madine. Second, both are needed to run the base. I was given authority by Mon Mothma and Madine to head this mission and to choose my own team. Now, as annoying as you are, Han, I have to acknowledge your skills."

Luke saw Mara smirk and flashed her a knowing look.

"I saw that." Han said, sliding a glance between the two. "Meanwhile, these two make kissy face."

"Luke and Mara have proved that they work well together. Luke is a competent pilot, he follows Orders well, and Mara is good with technical matters.

******

Mara chuckled at the exchange between Han Solo and Leia. She caught Luke's eye during it.

Now _he _was something altogether different. He joked around with the other pilots during off-time, but he didn't become engrossed in their livelier pranks.

She studied Leia out of the corner of her eye.

Leia was courageous and resilient and very attractive. But Luke didn't flirt with her, that Mara could tell.

He seemed to be all wrapped up in Mara herself.

The pilots were very friendly, but they seemed to have gotten the notion that she and Luke were an official pair. This last thought made her roll her eyes.

"What really do we know about this contact?" Han was now asking Leia.

"Elan represents Adumar as an envoy. Their governor wants to offer us a location for a Rebel base. We need all the allies we can get." Leia responded.

"But did you at least check her creds?" Han persisted.

Leia frowned. "In case of what?"

"Do you think she's a spy?" Mara asked, curiously. "A plant by the Empire?"

Han scowled. "It's not so farfetched, is it?" He demanded.

"Adumar has nothing to gain by allying with the Empire." Leia countered.

"No, she was only used as a place for exiles from the Republic, Princess. Doesn't look too good."

"Contrary to your belief, Han, we did check Elan out as to if she was who she claimed and from where." Leia answered.

"That kinda thing can be falsified, you know." Han answered. "You should've checked _deeper _."

Mara had been one of those tasked to do the checking. Nothing strange or glaring had popped up on the scopes or tingled in her Force sense.

Luke chimed in: "Yes, even I know that. Maybe, just in case, we need to come up with a back-up strategy in case things get chaotic and unpleasant..."

"I agree." Mara said. "We may not have the luxury once we meet up with our contact."

***

Leia gave Luke an interested look.

"So what exactly did you have in mind then?"

"Me?" He said.

"Mm"

"Well, if you're asking me…and you are, I'd like us to do some searching of our own. We meet the Ambassador Elan's delegation in three days time; whereupon we will start the first cooperative talks with her and her group, correct?"

Leia nodded.

"Up untill now, we haven't even heard of this planet; you say it exists, but I'd like to think of myself as pretty worldly-and no i'm not being conceited. For all we know we could be walking into a trap. Now, after we have the first talks we'll probably be shown to our rooms." He looked at Organa as if waiting for her to confirm.

"Most likely, yes." Leia nodded.

"I say, we use the time in between talks to split up and do some investigative research."

"You mean slicing." Leia said in an accusatory tone.

He winced. "All right, slicing, spying. But yes, I propose we find a database and slice into it."

"Anything they have will probably be encrypted."? She pointed out.

"Most likely." He conceded. "But if they really are innocent then they have nothing to hide do they?"

"So, why don't you just ask them outright then?" Solo interjected brusquely. "It's sure as hell better than sneaking around."

Mara rolled her eyes.

Luke sighed. "Look, Solo, I don't know what you're definition of discrete is, but it obviously isn't the same as mine. If you go making it obvious you don't trust them, if they do have anything to hide they'll automatically start deleting files, which we don't know." He snorted. "Any idiot knows that."

"So, who do you propose we get to do that, Smartguy?"

Luke looked to Mara.

"Me?" She said, looking surprised.

"Yes, you."'

"I don't know a thing about slicing."

"But you do know decryption, and I guarantee you that any system worth its weight is encrypted to preserve its files. It's the basic tenet of a slicer: to break through the coding."

Mara frowned. "In my technical courses, we did learn something about slicing, just enough not to set off alarms and get unmasked by the guys we were tracking. Like you said, if they know you're looking at their information, or for their best-kept secrets, they'll dump the files or set up automatic programs to do that. I've never done it in a real-life situation like this, but I had to know the basics for the exam at the end of the course."

Leia smiled. "That's more than the rest of us, Mara." She assured.

Luke nodded. "We don't need a deep comprehensive probe, just enough to see if they're being up-front with us and to probe the layers of their story, to see if there are gaps or loopholes."

Mara considered. "I could start with public databases that don't have software booby traps, to see if there are discrepancies between how they're presenting themselves to you and what their real motives might be. Then, only when or if that doesn't work, move on to the deeper searches."

Luke gave an approving nod, and Han looked relieved that she wasn't going to push their luck too far, too fast. He liked taking chances, but not walking into a trap without a way or several outs.

"That first step will more than likely be enough." Leia remarked, hopefully.

Mara smiled, suddenly. If there was one thing she liked it was a challenge to test her mettle. "All right. I'll do my best."

***

Six days later, the Rebel Dream came out of hyperspace in the vicinity of the Surd Nebula; which was located in the Carrerras system. The system was on the Outer Rim and contained mostly backwater planets. The meeting spot was unconventional so it served as a perfect rendezvous point for them and the delegation from Adumar. Given the distance between Adumar and Carrerras system, it was highly unlikely the Empire would catch on to them.

It gave the Alliance less to worry about given the circumstances.

"I still don't like this." Han grumbled. "Why meet us so far away from Adumar?"

Leia frowned. "Maybe we should start calling you 'Mr. Sunshine.' You are starting to sound as pessimistic and dour as 3PO."

Han gave her a wounded look. "Please, Your Holiness. There is no need to be insulting. But don't you think it's the least bit odd?"

Luke lifted his head, opening his eyes. "Likely, it's fear."

"Of us?!" Mara asked. "Why?"

"Of the Empire." Leia corrected. "I don't blame them; it's the logical thing anyone would do in these circumstances. The Adumari are sticking they're necks out offering us this. That…can't be easy—they're taking a huge risk."

Han snorted.

"They are living in fear." Luke commented. "But their bravery is admirable; when you're pushing for something that makes you stand out against the majority, not many have the true will to step up and face the odds."

Mara glanced at him, impressed by such a profound statement. Luke was surprising her more the longer she knew him.

"I think Luke's right. It's much easier to go along with what's safe." Mara assented.

Leia glanced at her wrist chrono. "Well, let's head over to our arranged meeting place." She suggested. "It's best if we arrive first."

Han had to agree with the tactical wisdom of that suggestion.

++++++++


	15. Chapter Three - Part Two

Note: This one took a great deal of time, back and forthing it in an entire day. We were even late with our posting of this one

-

Leia cast a sideways look at Han out of the corner of her eye. He was frowning from the very first moment he laid eyes on Elan. Leia didn't want to admit or even question if a part of her was glad he didn't seem to be all too impressed by Elan's obvious attractiveness. And there was plenty to be impressed by.

Luke, however, was paying very close attention to the woman, and that did surprise her. Since the day he had met her, Luke only had paid attention to Mara the way he was now eyeballing this woman. He seemed to study her intensely as if trying to puzzle out a mystery.

******

"I think we will be able to come to a satisfactory agreement." Elan said, with a smile that struck Han as a bit facile.

"I sincerely hope so." Leia was saying. "We really appreciate the offer."

The spaceport where they met Ambassador Elan and her party was spacious, and was surrounded on all sides by interconnected structures housing living quarters and amenities to make one feel like one was planetside, like cafes and parks.

Leia admired that bit of thoughtfulness. It was a fine thing to include for working staff as well as visitors.

Han could tell Leia was ready to be impressed by the Adumari.

When they had docked at an orbital space station near the Surd Nebula and had met the Adumari on board their ship, Rogue Defender, Han had felt utter consternation. He didn't like being entrenched in a possible trap. If Elan and her delegation were a plant, they would have the home court advantage and he and his group would be in deep trouble. This was not an even playing field at all.

When they were finished with the general introductions, Elan handed each of them passccard keys for their staterooms aboard the ship as well as a grid on a 'padd and invited them to meet for dinner in their main salon.

"Before our meeting tomorrow afternoon. I'm sure you'll want to rest up after your trip here?"

Leia nodded. "We would like that." She cast Mara a meaningful look while Elan was bidding them a cordial good afternoon.

**

Luke had taken notice of Elan the moment he saw her, alhough it was not because of her elegant form of dress or the multitude of people surrounding her.

It was her outward appearance and he had a strange feeling; almost as if he had met her before. He looked from Mara to Elan, noting the twin green eyes that mirrored each other.

He frowned. It wasn't only the eyes though, but for Elan's auburn hair the appearance of the two women was uncanny.

He could tell she was cultured, but there was something that disturbed him as much as it intrigued him. Despite the subtle psychical similarities, the two women seemed to diverge at that point.  
In fact, there was one particular thing Luke couldn't dismiss about Ambassador Elan; her smile.

It was polished, and her words had the ring of sincerity, but as one who was well-acquainted with personas, Luke was all too aware of the times when such things could be or were being simulated.

After all, he had given similar practiced smiles to the many rebels he'd encountered. Other people might not take notice of such falsity, but in his line of work he couldn't afford to read people wrong. He studied her intensely, noting the way she phrased words and the rise and fall of her voice. She would also occasionally make eye contact with him.

There was indeed something off with her.

Luke pondered whether or not to mention his qualms as the initial meeting drew to a close.

Han would be certain to take them seriously, Luke had no doubt. The Correllian had been full of misgivings from the very start.

How would Organa and Mara take them, though?

He shrugged and, after Elan had left them, made the decision to voice his impressions as they made their way to their assigned quarters.

Han gave Luke an "Aha! Told you!" look while Leia frowned thoughtfully.

"I can't dismiss your first impression, Luke." She finally said. "I just hope nothing tangible comes up in our investigation to prove it was correct."

"I'd rather be on guard than caught napping." Han asserted.

Mara nodded. "Yes, so would I."

Luke was relieved that they hadn't dismissed his surmises out of hand. Hopefully, it would turn out to just be a case of jumping at shadows.

"I hope not either." He murmured then added, "Let me feel her out first. I don't have Mara's abilities, but something is off about that woman, I can feel it in my gut."

Leia nodded.

"What're you going to do?" Mara asked.

"Nothing reckless if that's what you're afraid of; I don't plan on doing anything until later." He turned to her. "I don't think you should either; at least not searching their main systems."

"I thought you wanted me to look."

"I did, but I'm not sure where she stands."

"But you feel she's lying."

"I feel like it's a performance…" he corrected. "But I don't know for what purpose."

"I don't like it…" Han muttered, looking over his shoulder at Chewbacca.

"You don't like much, Solo."

"For a good reason," He retorted. "It was your smart idea to investigate."

"I did say that, and I don't doubt the situation has become more tangible. But I feel if we investigate too soon, we'll have blown our cover. Now, whether they're friend or foe, either way we'll have compromised the mission. It's one thing to avoid the trap; it's another to be completely obvious."

Luke dropped his voice low:

"Let's get to close quarters and do a sweep first." He glanced at R2. "Then we'll go over the rest."

"All right," Han said. "Now what?"

They had all situated themselves in Luke's stateroom since it had been the closest for the time being. R2-D2 had finished his sweep of the room and was rolling over to Luke.

Luke turned to the droid, looking at his read-out screen.

"Artoo says it's all clear."

"Well that's a relief." Mara breathed.

"Right, now where were we?"

"We were deciding what we were going to do." Leia said.

"Right," He looked to the red-head. "Mara, I think it's best if you put off doing any decryption until I—we—have a better feel of Ambassador Elan. …only scour the public databases; nothing else that would set off alarm bells. I want you to do a comprehensive search, see if there have been anything suspicious taking place on Adumur. " He looked at Leia

"Sounds good." Leia uttered.

He then turned to regard Mara once more.

"Can you do that?"

"Sure."

"Now, remind me why you are the designated feeler-up?" Han asked,

Mara almost snorted at this.

"Because I already have a good feel of her." Han cracked a smile at this, which Luke ignored. "Plus, she was making a lot of eye contact with me during the introductions. "

"So you have a good "feel" of her and you think she's making eye contact with you. Are you sure you're not imagining it?"

He ignored Han's playful jibe again. "I wouldn't mistake something like that, Han." This surprised the Corellian. "She was being far too obvious. One would think you would have picked up on it since you were scowling at her the whole time she was talking."

"You know I'm sick and tired of your attitude; I've been trying to make friends with you, but all you've done is give me lip this entire time. I'm about three seconds away from punching your face in."

"Han, don't!" Leia warned."Luke, cut it out, I know we're on edge here, but we're all in this together."

"He started it!" Han grumbled.

"And I'm finishing it."Leia glowered at both of them, hands on hips. she shared an exasperated look with Mara, who was trying to hide her own amusement. "You are being children you know that? Worse than Klivian and Janson."

Han gave Leia a wounded, innocent look. Leia was having none of it.

Luke gave her a startled look as well.

"Get out of my sight and find something useful to do until dinner." Leia instructed in her most regal voice.

Han, and even Luke, knew when to quit pushing their luck and did as she said.

Mara smirked as she exited after Luke and Han.

Mara thought: _You both had that coming._

****  
Luke separated from Han, Solo heading back for the hanger. Mara watched Luke head off in the opposite direction.  
"Where you going?" She called out.  
He stopped, realizing he really had nowhere to go. "Nowhere I guess." He turned to face her. "Remind me, why I was kicked out o fmy own stateroom."

"Because you were being an ass? Did you really expect any different?" She responded. "What's wrong with you, Luke?"

Luke sighed, and then ran his hand through his hair. As much as he hated to admit it, the Princess Organa was right. He wasn't sure what had set him off, Solo usually didn't bring out those type of feelings in him, but for some reason his words had triggered a very unusual response he wasn't familiar with—and frankly, wasn't comfortable with at the moment.

"I honestly don't know."

She peered at him. "Are you going to be okay?"

He laughed wryly. "Eventually. I think my heart will mend." He smiled then asked, "And until I can get back into the Princess' good graces, can I stay in your room."

Mara examined him.

"It's not me, or Leia, you have to appease." She pointed out.

Luke sighed and nodded. "I know, Mara."

Mara relented after a long pause. "Give Solo some space before you make peace again."

"I will." He paused. "So, how about me staying in your room?"

Mara shrugged. "Maybe some other time. Besides, don't you need to think of ways to outsmart or charm the Ambassador?"

He cocked his head. "Fair enough. I'm going to go check out the observation decks, I hear the view from here to the nebula is spectacular."

"I'm going to head over to one of the park areas." Mara replied.

Luke nodded. "See you around then." He decided he'd give Mara some space, too, and then catch up with her at the park.


	16. Chapter Three - Part Three

Note: Thanks to all, this one got finished rather quickly. We did major collab on this chapter and are proud of it. I think there is alot of character development and plot progression.

Leia gave a tired sigh as the door closed behind Luke, Han, and Mara.

"We haven't even met officially with the Adumari yet, haven't been here half a day, and things feel ... If we can't even get along, what's the point?"

R2, who had remained behind, tootled encouragingly.

She read the readout and grinned. "Carbon-based life-forms are indeed puzzling, even to those of us in that same category."

Chewbacca, who had watched the earlier exchange with resignation, offered a suggestion.

Leia nodded. "Yes, please go soothe Han's ruffled feathers. I'm sure you've had good practice." She chuckled. "I'm sure Mara will work on Luke; now whether it works will be anyone's guess. Though she does have an effect on him."

Chewbacca's next comment had her laughing outright.

"Exciting effect?" She raised her brow. "I can't argue with you there." Leia then added: "R2, I want you to go with Chewie. We won't need you for a while."

**

As Luke made his way to the observation decks, he began to slowly cool down; not that he had far to go. He really wasn't even that angry, more irate, but even being irritated by Solo wasn't enough to put him in a constant state of irritation. He stepped aboard with a person who seemed to be a tourist. He could instantly tell the man wanted to make small talk. Now, even though he admitted he wasn't in a particularly bad mood, he still had no desire to talk to anyone.

The man fortunately took the hint and began to study the numbers on the lift. The man got off at the floor that appeared to house the parks and cafes.

Luke rode up to the observation deck, stepping off the lift. Thankfully, there weren't very many people around. He made his way around the deck, until he came upon the viewport that was facing the nebula. He marveled at the breath-taking sight before him. It was truly one of the universe's natural wonders, a swirling gas of red and pink and blue.

_Mara would have loved this, he thought. _

He could almost imagine the scene.

Luke leaned on the rail as if trying to get a better look at it when suddenly he felt a small niggling in his abdomen. He tried to ignore it but found he could not.  
He knew what it had to do with. It was the way he'd acted—and the way Mara had lectured him afterward then seemed to brush him off. He usually didn't let things like the aforementioned get to him, but the truth was he had. He gnawed at his lip. At this rate, he would completely alienate the people now closet to him and he'd come too far to distance himself from those who had started to trust him.

He had to correct the situation.

He knew, however, Solo would be a hard sell. The ex-smuggler was stubborn to a fault and easy to anger; he was Corellian though so that was no surprise. He should have known better to push his luck. Still, he couldn't help but feel that wasn't the only reason to right things, he just couldn't figure out what.

He sighed and pushed back from the railing.

Now, the other matter in question is what to do about Mara. He didn't particularly like being yelled at by her, it felt wrong. He had to make it up to her somehow.  
Luke turned and started to walk back toward the lift.

***

He entered the sheltered area of the park, seeking her out. Strangely, she didn't seem all that surprised to see him.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked, coming upon her.

She had been looking over some flowering trees.

"Sure." She agreed.

Mara was wearing her hair loose about her shoulders and as they started to strol down the moving ped-way, a light artificial breeze blew the curls around her face. Her tresses shone brillantly, in red-golden lustrousness.

For one second, as he watched it dance dazzlingly under the fluorescent lights, he had an urge to run his fingers through. He stopped himself mind thought. Dear Force, what was he doing! He held his hand at his side.

He turned his attention back to her once more.

Mara was gazing upon a fountain that was a piece of artistry as much as it was functional.

"It's …marvelous isn't it?" He commented.

"Hm?" She turned to him.

"The fountain." He supplied.

She gazed at it once more, watching as the light caught the droplets in a fountain and marveled at the engineering feats that made such possible.

"Yes, it is."

Luke considered the current tone, assessing her overall body language. It was relaxed and she seemed at ease. "So, I take it you're no longer angry at me." He said jokingly.

Mara considered the question. Luke could be intense at times. She and the other pilots were the only ones who could truly make him laugh, many times. She had a feeling things with Solo had escalated more than either had truly intended, and that underneath it all, they respected and liked each other.

"Well, you keep insisting you're _all that _or however you want to express it, and then you go and let a little teasing get under your skin like that. I guess, though, I was more startled than anything else."

Luke frowned as they made their way to a bench that ran along the edge of the ped-way. "I don't usually lose my cool like that. It seems all he does is offer snide comments that don't seem to help."

"Or maybe he's helping more than you think. Did you ever think maybe your snide comments don't help?"

Luke scoffed, "Are you saying I'm the reason he acts like that?"

"Not the entire reason. Han is like that always, but you seem to rile him." She paused, "Look, Luke, I'm not going to tell you how to run your life but, this _is_ actually our first _actual _Alliance mission. A lot rides on it." Mara eyed him. "We can't afford to mess this up."

"I know. But you don't have to worry; I've already made a decision to talk with Solo before dinner."

"Good."

She smiled, and Luke swore it could have lit up this whole station.

It was strange, how being around her felt so calming. When he was with Mara, he could almost forget ... almost ... that he was anything more or less than what he was now.

"Um, Luke, Planetary Control to Luke." She waved a hand in front of his face.

He jolted out of his reverie. "Oh, sorry." He apologized.

"It's okay, I had been thinking about what you said about the ambassador and was wondering what exactly that struck you as strange about her?"

"Just what I mentioned before."

She studied him before, asking, "Have you come up with a strategy on how you're going to find out how things really are with the Adumari?"

"No, but I do plan to figure out what she's hiding. I still want you to do that database search." He stopped as if considering, "Direct probing probably won't work if she's willing to put on an act. She's got too much to lose I think; now, what she has too lose I can't be sure. Then there was the way she was looking at me; I can't dismiss that easily. She's interested in me, I don't know why, but it will help. I can use it to my advantage if her fascination is genuine."

Suddenly, she covered his hand with hers. "Just be careful." Mara murmured

"I intend to." He smiled. "I do have a few tricks up my sleeve after all."

She nodded, remaining silent for a moment.

"Hopefully, it's nothing. And if all goes well after our meeting tomorrow, we can head back to Base, with an ally and a new Rebel sanctuary."

Luke refrained from commenting; he had to praise her for optimism in the face of uncertainty.

Mara smiled. "I'm an optimistic realist, as opposed to a confirmed pessimist like Solo."

He chuckled.

"So, what does that make Organa, then?" Luke asked.

"I have not quite been able to put her in a category." Mara admitted.

"She is a hard one to figure out."

"I think she likes to keep everyone at a professional distance." Mara reflected after a pause.

Luke replied, "I think she has to; she's the princess of a destroyed world. Most likely she feels the need to step up even more now that her father's gone. It's what she was raised for; she probably sees it as her duty."

This last word, duty, reminded Luke of the Emperor. Frankly, he was surprised Palpatine hadn't bugged him for the past weeks. After the headache, he'd given Luke after the fated destruction of the Death Star and his near screw up with Madine, he was sure the old man would have come down on him hard. Perhaps, he was too busy dealing with other things; like Vader.

Now, that would be a relief. He could bear the brunt of their Master's anger for awhile.

**

Han had found himself at loose ends as he angrily made his way from the stateroom.

That kid was getting mouthier as the weeks passed. No, that wasn't true. Luke hadn't been hostile toward Han; at most he would call him aloof. He wasn't sure what would make someone as young as Luke be so introverted—except around the girl he favored. He dismissed it quickly. Right now was not the time to think on it. Right now was the time to clear his mind.

He decided to check the specs of the ship they'd come in on. It was something he did with his own, tinkering and tweaking, and it had a soothing effect.

He was in the midst of this activity when Chewbacca and R2 arrived.

This incidentally, was when he discovered something odd in connection with the navcomputer.

"R2," Han instructed, "Check this out. Am I imagining things?"

R2 rolled over and plugged himself in. He started to run diagnostic. When he was finished, Han looked over, frowning.  
"Run it again."  
The droid ran it a second time and beeped an affirmative.

No, he hadn't been wrong.

Was it be a tracking beacon? Nothing so obvious as one that is attached to the hull, but one that a skilled tech could splice into the navcomputer and keep track of hyperspace jumps?

Han wasn't pleased to be proven correct. He commed Leia, and gave her the run-down of the situation.

Leia gasped in surprise: "I guess there's no doubt?"

"'Fraid not."

**

Luke was approaching the room with Mara beside him when he spotted Solo coming from the opposite direction. The large Wookiee was lumbering behind him with R2 keeping pace as he rolled a tootled. Chewbaca was eying him menacingly. Solo nodded, but Luke knew it wasn't directed at him. He turned to look at Mara.

"Did Leia fill you in?"

"Yes." She looked from Han to Luke. "Shall we?"

Luke spoke up: "In a minute, Mara. I…want to talk S- Han" He amended meaningfully.

Taking the hint, Mara nodded. "All right. Just….don't kill each other. Please." She looked to R2. "Let's go." He whistled uncertainly.

"Go on, Artoo." Luke bade him.

Luke watched the droid leave before turning back to face Han. Chewbaca was still standing at Han's shoulder. Having the Wookiee here would prove this to me much more difficult, but he didn't think he could get him to leave without riling him. It would be up to Han himself.

Han shifted his gaze to the Wookiee. "You go on ahead, Chewie. I can handle this."

He eyed Luke for a bit, before wuffing and striding past them, disappearing into the room. Han watched the Wookiee leave. "Now, you wanted something?" He asked laconically.

"Yes, "Luke took a breath. "I wanted to apologize. I honestly didn't mean for that to come out the way it did. It will take all of us to pull this off, and we can't afford to lose someone valuable due to me. I'm sorry, Han, I was out of line." He offered his hand.

Han looked slightly mollified. He noted the sincerity in the other's voice and the way his eyes lost their gleam, becoming a more complacent. He could have easily have weaseled out of an apology all together, but he hadn't. Han realized that such an admission of fault was a big thing for someone like Luke.

He took Luke's hand. "Yeah, but watch it, Junior, or next time the Princess won't be here to save you, you read me?"

Luke cracked a smile. "I think so."

A voice then shouted: "Hey, Leia, they've kissed and made up! Where's my fifty credits?" Han and Luke turned to find Mara, grinning. "Now, inside, boys." She ordered, before popping back inside.

Han scowled openly at the line "kissed and made up" and Luke sighed, running a hand through his hair. They then exchanged looks before following Mara inside

Leia looked up, smiling. "Now that's cleared up, what's our next step with the tracker?"

Luke offered, "I say, we find a way to fool it If we can. I'll still meet with Elan."

"It's more crucial than ever." She agreed. "If we suddenly decline dinner, that'll tip them off. Incidentally, the database search is pretty much moot, as well."

Mara sighed. "I'll see what I can do about the beacon. It'll certainly take more skill than I have to remove it without serious reprogramming. Also, I'll work on decoy and false jump points."

Han grinned, winking. "That I can help with."

Leia glanced at her chrono. "It's dinner time. We'd better head to the salon."

Luke nodded. "I'll keep the Ambassador occupied while Solo and Mara rig the decoys."

"Sounds like a good idea."

-


	17. Chapter Three - Part Four

Jade Note: This chapter deepens the mystery somewhat and also advances the countermeasure.

They had left promptly after their brief meeting to join the Adumarian delegation in the salon of the Rogue Defender. Leia took the seat next to Ambassador Elan, while Han sat next to her.

A large man had taken his seat at Elan's left; he was tall, well-muscled with dark brown hair and grey eyes. Luke made no movement to seat himself. It was Mara's turn; taking it upon herself, she strode over and took a seat next to the man. Luke was the last one to sit down; he had chosen not to sit close to the woman but across from her on the other end of the table.

Mara noted no one else from Elan's party was joining them. It only appeared to be her and the lone...bodyguard?

Leia also seemed to have noticed this.

"No one else from your party is joining us?" Leia asked.

"No, I prefer a minimalist approach." She said, raising her glass to be filled with wine. "Most of the people joining me were… bodyguards more than anything else. Aside from myself," She took a delicate sip, looking to the dark-haired man. "Nikolai is the only personnel required at this moment. He is a captain of my personal retinue."

"A captain?" Leia repeated, waving off the wine as it came around. "Military?"

"No, Ma'am. Security."

"Nikolai is being modest. His family is known for its military background; not to mention it's hand in politics."  
Leia noticed that the captain was served a different type of wine then the rest of the table. He picked it up and swirled it before tasting it briefly.

"Thank you, Ambassador." He said then put down his glass. "For this mission though, I am here on the governor's behalf and to see all goes well without a hitch." He looked at the princess meaningfully. "I am here to add my input and to observe these proceedings to their completion."

Elan smiled, hiding it behind her glass. She obviously thought she had been discrete, but Luke caught it.

"He will, of course, be attending tomorrow's meeting." Elan informed.

"Of course." Leia bowed her head slightly. "It's a pleasure Captain Nikolai…" She hesitated; well aware she didn't have his last name.

"Verdere. Nikolai Vedere."

"As in Governor Los Vedere?"

"That's correct." He offered nothing more.

Elan sighed heavily. "The Governor is his father." She smiled ingratiatingly, her eyes scanning over the table. "Nikolai prefers his family ties not to influence people's perceptions of him." She turned up her chin up a centimeter, her green eyes in the light as she turned his way.

Taking up the challenge, Luke smiled tightly. "It is important to be judge by your own abilities." he said agreeably. "Versus your family's background—but a bit of background doesn't hurt."

"Agreed." She murmured.

The door to the far side opened and three servers came out with dinner being pushed on small hovercarts. That had been fast, Luke mused silently. Fast and efficient. Ambassador Elan certainly knew what was important. She obviously wanted to get the meal out of the way quickly, so she could focus on other things. Truth be told, so would he. There was little he could do when their minds were all preoccupied with food.

He studied her intently as she graciously thanked the server. He noticed that she didn't take time to seek him out; almost as if she was afraid she'd been found out.

The meal went off without a hitch, they all exchanged comments of pleasantry while they ate. Han commented on Elan's ship and she encouraged him to have a look around with one of her staff. An open invitation as if to say, 'look around I have nothing to hide'. Clever. He noted that the ambassador ate minimally and drank only what was required at such a meeting.

He had to give her props for that. She shied away from deliberately impairing herself with liquor. Solo had indulged himself in Elan's food as well as her drinks. He frowned inwardly, if she didn't know they had found out about the tracker, she was certainly doing a good job to impede any progress they would make.

"So, I hear you're an ace fighter pilot," she said, directing her statement obviously at Luke.

"Well, I wouldn't say ace, Ambassador," Luke said as he placed his napkin on the table. "Good, but certainly not an ace; I guess you can say piloting is in my blood." He tried to downplay his skills as much as possible. He poured forth the modesty into his voice. "I'm sure there are others more qualified than I that have been with the Alliance longer."

"And yet you were chosen to come on this mission." She pointed out. "Obviously Princess Organa has much confidence." She looked at him pointedly.

He tipped the side of his mouth up, tilting his head. "You have me there, Ambassador."

She gave him a glance under her lashes, a very inscrutable one.  
"Please, call me Elan." She finally said, her voice warm, but her eyes still watchful.

Luke's eyes widened in surprise.  
"All right," he said, regaining his composure. "Elan, it is."

Mara watched these proceedings between Elan and Luke carefully. She knew it was part of the overall game plan, but she was picking up subtle undercurrents beneath the words, in the expression and tone of voice.

She caught Han's eye as the party at the table broke up.

"She said we could look around." He told her, falling into step beside her. "How convenient is that?"

Mara chuckled, watching Luke and Elan move to a secluded corner near a viewport behind a decorative plant-she couldn't tell if it was real or artificial from this distance.

"Luke will work on Elan and we'll work on splicing into the system and figure out how to redirect that tracker." Mara said.

"Sounds good." His eyes followed Mara's. "He certainly made an impression on the ambassador." He said, smirking. "Can't blame the guy though; I mean, with the way that woman looks, he'd be dumb not to play his hand now."

"Oh, cut the shavit, Han." Mara scowled.

"What?"

"You think I'm jealous of that woman." Mara accused.

"Are you?"

She looked aside, muttering, "No," before bringing her head back around. "There's nothing between Luke and me for me to be jealous anyway."

Mara didn't know what to feel when she stated that last: regret? Was it true on her end? She frowned. Now wasn't the time to think of such things.

"Heh, yeah right." Han answered, in disbelief.

Mara glared at him, clearly annoyed.

"Well, I guess there goes your romantic notions," Mara said triumphantly, "She just beckoned Leia over to joint them."

Han shrugged it off. "So, Jade, are you ready to go…take a look around?" Han asked.

"Yeah, but she said with her staff." Mara pointed out.

Han cursed, suddenly remembering.

"Yeah, my sentiments exactly."

"Let's take a brief tour then for about a half-hour to 45 minutes, then we'll say we want to turn in for the night."

"Then make our way to the control center and do the splicing?"

"Sounds like a plan."

It was three hours later when they met up.  
They headed toward the control center, making sure that the corridors were nearly deserted or that they presented a casual demeanor to any passersby.

They had the trusty R2 in tow for technical aid and to serve as a cursory lookout, until needed.

"I'll be comming Leia a message when we've completed the programming." Han told Mara.

***

Mara and Han had been situated for a couple hours at a side-panel, while R2 provided a screen as to surveillance.

From what Mara grasped, it was something wherein subroutines masked their true import and data-bytes seemed to be in one place one moment but if a deep scan, they would actually appear elsewhere, so that a tech would conclude he/she had seen something illusory.

Han said when they finished: "Now, to test it out ..."

"No cold runs, or sims," Mara observed.

He shot her a grin. "No, right in the thick of the action."

She laughed. "Just how you like it."

"Nothing much gets past you Jade."

"Hmmm. I knew that much about you pretty much right away."

***

Luke turned his head to the side and glanced at Leia standing on the other side of the ambassador.

When the other two people in their party had dispersed, the three of them had ventured to the portside observation window that looked out upon space. Elan had invited the Princess to join them as well. He had to give it to her; she certainly was making all the right moves. Or maybe she was just who she said she was.

It didn't matter. It would not hinder his plans.

Elan briefly looked to Leia then to Luke. "I really do appreciate your coming here." She thanked the princess. "You could have easily turned down our offer to meet out here. We wouldn't have blamed you if we had."

"It's our pleasure; we must do all we can to help each other out. The Alliance greatly appreciates your cooperation and aid."

"Yes, but there is no greater foe for both of us than the current one, is there?" She glanced briefly at Luke. "Forgive me, but I couldn't remember your name earlier."

"It's Luke."

She touched her forehead as if thinking. "Skywalker. That was it. Luke Skywalker." She turned to him. "You really shouldn't sell yourself short." She lifted a hand to her mouth.

Luke almost narrowed his eyes at the sentence.

Had that been deliberate? Or was he just inferring things that weren't really there?

He smiled disarmingly as if to say "what're you gonna do".

"Yes, I suppose we all have our own petty grievances," He laid his hand against the window, letting his shoulders sag. "I try not to let mine bother me; life tends to be too short to worry about such thing."

"That's very admirable."

"Thank you." He leaned against a nearby bulkhead. "But I prefer not to talk about myself at the moment; there are other things far too more important than myself."

A comlink went off as he finished speaking.

"Oh, excuse me, Madame Ambassador," Leia excused herself. "Yes, Leia here." Leia frowned. "I see. I'll be " She turned to Elan. "Please excuse me once more; it seems our little R2 unit is acting up."

"I hope it's nothing serious."

"Probably not, but I'd better go nonetheless, Captain Solo isn't the most patient dealing with droids and I fear he may try to do harm to poor Artoo."

"Very well. I will see you tomorrow then."

Leia nodded and disappeared from sight.

***

Luke watched the princess depart, very much doubting that it had anything to do with R2 and the ex-smuggler and everything to do with Mara and Han's work. He turned to eye Elan, noticing she had focused her gaze on space outside. She was fighting with the cuff of her tunic. He had noticed her dress earlier but hadn't had time to examine it. She had switched from a stately gown to a smart burgundy tunic and grey pants. Suitable for the evening. He had a feel she was a woman that got into the thick of things.

"You don't have to stay with me if you don't want." She said, eyes fixed on him. "One might think you stayed for nefarious reasons" She chuckled. "You're obviously here for some reason, I would have a reason why…or do you not trust me?"

He studied her with critical eyes. Yes, he decided with finality, it was most indeed an "act".

All right, he'd play along.

"Trust?" He raised an eyebrow. "The thought had crossed my mind."

"Yet, you go along with their plans."

"It's not right to question my superiors. I am but a lone cog, Ambassador."

Her lip twitched. "Out of all people to be…paranoid I would expect that from Captain Solo. I sense that he is a very distrustful individual. Is he always like that?"

Instead of answering her question, he smirked slightly. "You certainly do ask a lot of questions."

"I like to get to know my allies." She responded smoothly her hand rested near his. "I also noticed for a man who is so distrustful, you seem to want to stick around me…and not ask a lot of questions. "

Luke could see in his peripheral vision Elan edging closer.

As she did Luke caught the whiff of something that he hadn't noticed before. Perfume. It floated past his nostrils; a mixture of spice and floral scent. It was an odd arrangement, but that was enough for him to train his nose to its particular fragrance.

It was a scent that half induced him to vomit.

He could not forget it.


	18. Chapter Three - Part Five

Jade Note: Did mega-tweaking and brainstorming. Elan+Nikolai - woohoo! All Emerald

~~~~~~

Luke excused himself from Elan's company on the pretense that he was starting to feel tired. She graciously nodded and murmured something about enjoying his stay. He snorted. As if this was some sort of five star cruise.

He headed directly to his stateroom, not wanting to draw attention to himself despite what he had just discovered. The question was now, what to do with the information he had just found out. He palmed the keycard and used it to access the room. When he stepped inside he took a look around then after a moment, slipped the card back into his pocket. Luke knew there was no way he could possibly tell the others what he had learned. To do so would only reveal his identity to them and blow his cover.

Especially if the Rebels find out who Elan really was.

There would be far too many questions.

He sighed. He would have to wait it out. Perhaps even deal with the woman himself. Nothing serious, of course.

The possible harm coming to an ambassador would arouse suspicion in her entourage. Not that she would be easy to get the drop on anyhow.

He dropped down on the bed, remembering that condescending way she voiced about selling himself short. The Princess Organa hadn't been able to detect it, but he had. The witch.

If she was here, no doubt it was a trap.

What was she doing there anyway? He pondered this.

He knew he could have easily confronted Elan there right then and there, but Luke figured it was better to keep it to himself. He would be able to catch her off guard later.

After all, it was better to hold your cards close to your vest than to reveal your hand.

Stifling a yawn, he finally deemed himself truly tired and ready to sleep.

***

Mara was a mid-morning riser. She liked to get her day started early, but not at the literal first rays of daylight. However, being all keyed up made her awaken early and she decided to go to the observation lounge. Incidentally, it was the very one Luke had been to the prior day to watch the nearby nebula.

Upon entering the lounge, she heard low murmured voices. Tourists, she thought. Mara stopped short, her breath catching in her throat.

Ambassador Elan stood at the viewport, but she wasn't facing the nebula, in fact she wasn't even paying attention to it. Perhaps it was because of her current companion. The governor's son was standing beside her with his hand resting low on her back. He was looking at her with a mixture of concern and longing.  
What were they doing here?

It was obvious they thought they were quite literally alone and unobserved. She strained her ears, hoping to catch what they were saying.

"You worry far too much." Nikolai was chiding her.

"I think not. He's smarter than you think."

"But he didn't recognize you."

"I've masked my presence carefully…and while my eyes are eye-catching, they're no dead giveaway."

"What about…" He raised his hand and wiggled his fingers.

"That's what I meant by masking my presence, Nikolai." Their fingers had now become entwined. "He would have never anyway, it would blow his cover—but there's no sense in not having insurance." She paused briefly. "I threw out enough barbs to keep his suspicion at bay, but I fear he may come nosing around again—he always managed to do that." She could hardly keep the irritation out of her voice.

"So there's no love lost?"

Elan frowned visibly. "What?"

"You just seemed to stare at him a great deal."

She smiled slyly, parroting, "You worry far too much." She slipped into his arms. "I'm just playing with him. It's all a part of the plan." As she said this, Nikolai tightened his arms around her body, pulling her to him in a heated embrace.

I just hope he doesn't smarten up too soon.

****

Mara glided away even more silently than she had come. She had to alert the others. There was no denying it now, there was definitely a conspiracy going on. If the tracker hadn't been enough this was certainly proof.

There had been a thought in the back of Mara's mind, probably in all of theirs that Nikolai had been suckered in by the Ambassador.

Now that supposition had been laid to rest.

*****

"Mara?" Leia had opened the door to find the younger woman standing outside of it. "Is something wrong?"

"Wrong?" She cast a quick look around. "You might say that, I think you might want to call Han and Luke here." She walked past Leia, entering the room.

Leia didn't seem all that startled by Mara's intrusion.

"It's that serious." Leia turned away. "I'll comm them."

Mara nodded and took a seat on a small chaise lounge. Leia went to find her comm and came back.

"It's done...they should be here in a few seconds. Han might take longer. He was up late last night playing sabacc with some of the crew."

Mara snorted delicately. "Figures."

Leia smiled. "Well, just as long as he can focus I'm not that concerned with whatever he does during off hours."

"Just as long." She agreed.

The door chime went off. She moved to get up, but Mara held up a hand indicating she would get it.

She walked over to the door and let in the other two. Luke entered first, smiling. Mara was half attempted to ask why until Han followed.

He looked positively dog-tired, with his hair unkempt.

"I'm so glad you find this enjoyable." Han groused.

"No one told you to stay up past your bedtime."

He glared at Luke, ignoring him. He looked at Leia. "Now, what's going on?" Han inquired.

Leia turned to Mara. "I believe Mara had something she wanted to tell us."

Luke and Han focused their gazes on her.

She nodded, took a deep breath, "It's like this…" Mara then began to explain what she'd seen. By the time she was done, her face was flushed. It hadn't been a long tale but her emotions came through rather clearly when she'd told the story.

"I guess there's no wondering now if they're on the up-and-up."

"But what did she mean, she masked her presence….?"

"I don't know. I couldn't hear everything. I could make out though they were concerned about Luke."

"Why?" Han interjected, looking fairly interested.

As two other pair of eyes turned to Luke, he assumed a relaxed pose and elegantly shrugged his shoulders.

"It's possible, she suspects I suspect her. My line of questioning might not have been as subtle as I'd first perceived. It's obvious she's intelligent." He pondered. "Though as to what she has to gain is anyone's guess…" He trailed off.

Luke sighed. He wondered briefly about his options. He could easily confront her right now; but what would there be to gain? Was there any point in revealing himself to her? Did she know who he was...or did she only suspect?

He wasn't lying though, she was intelligent. He'd have to be a fool to think she didn't know.

Was there a problem with her knowing though? Should he tell them? What would he tell them? And why?

Again, he had no answers, and that frustrated him.

One thing he did know, however, was the woman was not here by any coincidence, it was obvious she had been specifically assigned here. Now whether it was directly or her own elaborate plan…that was another thing entirely.

The governor's son was apparently in cahoots with her, but to what extent? Did he know who she truly was? Was this being done with the governor's knowledge or behind his back? If so what did the son gain by allying himself with Elan.

There were so many questions.

"I think we may have to deal with the possibility that Elan is not what she seems…"

"Or who she claims to be." Han inserted.

"You think this is the Empire's doing don't you?" Mara asked.

Leia looked to the younger woman. "I don't know. It's a possibility...though it could be some other factions."

Luke watched the proceedings. Yes, they were smarter than anyone gave them credit for. Maybe he didn't have to say anything at all.

"Or it could be the Empire." He countered

"It could."

"Still, there is the question about Luke. Even if she thinks he suspects her, why would she even give him the time of day?" Han smirked, levity in his voice. "Then again as paranoid as the Imps are, I wouldn't be surprised if she thought someone had been sent to check up on her. I mean the kid is pretty anonymous; doesn't have a name for himself."

Luke looked irked at this statement.

Leia rolled her eyes. "That's not helping. We need constructive suggestions, if nothing else."

Luke decided to play it light. "No, Leia, Han maybe has something. I mean, maybe I am the long-lost twin of one of the Empire's most trusted operatives."

Mara smirked. "Right down to the cleft in your chin?"

Luke winked at her. "Glad you noticed."

"I don't miss much."

"I can't tell if you're mocking me or not." Han grumbled.

Luke's eyes widened.

He wasn't fooled one bit by the kid's innocent act.

Han knew what Luke was capable of. Despite his demeanor with others, he had a clearly calculating mind and was smarter than he would first appeared to be. He had a great deal of smarts for a common pilot. If Han was truthful, he found this a tad suspicious, but he also had to admit in the long run, Luke's intelligence had helped them on more than one occasion.

He frowned. "You two flirting isn't doing us any good, either." Han commented.

Luke shot him a "Do you blame me?" look, and the mood lightened and turned to the more constructive.

"Well, kark it all, I suppose the talks are out." Mara observed.

"Hmmm. There may be a true opportunity behind all the subterfuge, in case Nikolai is playing both ends against the middle." Leia objected. "We should put out feelers to see how things truly lie with Governor Vedere."

Han broke in with a laugh. "Yeah, let's see how many quick and smooth answers Daddy's boy has then!"

Luke said after a thoughtful moment: "Yes, Organa's right. Let's not decide anything until the meeting."

Leia gave Luke a considering look. "We are working together, no reason to be formal outside of a briefing ... when we're not in the middle of some official function, call me Leia, please."

Luke was surprised, but relented. "All right. I'm Luke, then.""

Leia gave him one of her rare smiles, and then they headed for breakfast.

+++++


	19. Chapter Three - Part Six

Jade Note: Emerald and I tweaked and re-tweaked. I totally love the finished product.

**.**

**.**

It was time.

The moment of truth; as one being had said. Luke walked in contemplative silence with his companions as they made their way back to the salon. They had all agreed attending the meeting was the best possible decision. They were all aware that they could have easily gotten away and foiled Elan's trap, but Leia wanted answers. She still had hopes that the negotiations could be salvaged—if any were there.

"I have to know." She said. "Nikolai is in league with Elan; she might be involved with the Empire, she might not. The point is what does Nikolai gain from betraying us? How does it benefit his planet and home system?"

"And is the Governor himself in on this." Mara pointed out.

"That's what we'll have to find out." Luke chimed in.

"Great; and while we're at it, why don't we ask how the galaxy came to be." This came from Han.

Leia shot him a withering glance.

Mara grinned.

"I'm just saying we're going to have a tough time getting them to confess. They've been hiding it so it's not like they're going to be so forthcoming with that particular information."

"We won't know unless we try." Leia countered.

"Try." Han muttered. "It's not like any of our other attempts have worked..." he slid a glance at Luke.

Luke refused to rise to the bait.

"I wasn't able to assess her fully enough." It took all I had to keep from vomiting anyway.

"What we need to do is turn up the heat." The ex-smuggler suggested.

Leia shook her head.

"Princess, we tried it yours…and Luke's way. Nothing has worked. I know people like Elan; trust me on this."

She turned her head to look at Han. She focused on him for awhile before releasing a breath.  
"All right, Han."

He grinned victoriously.

"If no further attempts on mine or Luke's part are successful. I give permission to result to more direct methods." She looked at Mara then Luke. "Understood?"

Mara nodded. "Sounds like a plan, Boss."

"Let's make this count then." Luke added quietly.

**.**

They entered the salon to find it bereft of their host and the governor's son.

"This is starting to look bad already." Han muttered, stepping past Leia.  
"Maybe they're onto us." Mara murmured.

"You think you were spotted?" Luke asked.

She shook her head. "No, I'm sure I wasn't."

"I apologize for my tardiness," A voice interrupted, "It does not reflect on my sincere desire to come to an agreement. I was unfortunately detained by a suddenly arisen crisis."  
A man strode into the salon, flanked by many men and women. He was large and imposing, bearded and dressed in immaculate formal clothing.

"Governor Vedere I presume."

"You would be correct." He came to a stop in front of her. "You are Princess Organa?"

"Yes," Leia gave him her most diplomatic smile. "Much has happened and I feared our meeting had gone wrong. I'd like to thank you The Alliance wishes to come to a mutually satisfying agreement as well; however, there is ..."

It was then that Nikolai and Elan came sauntering in, looking for all the worlds as innocent as newborns. Han rolled his eyes and nudged Leia.

She smirked and, for once, had to agree with Solo's silent commentary.

His father gave his son a most pointed look; Nikolai looked defiantly back, or tried to.

"Good morning, Father. I hadn't expected your presence for this meeting." Nikolai said cooly. "I was under the impression that you'd been detained by matters of state."

Leia noted the cool tone in Nikolai's voice that he was trying to disguise. It was obvious that he had not expected his father and was not please with the older man's arrival.

"The crisis was averted sooner than I thought." He turned back to Leia as if to say, I'll deal with you later. "I have anticipated this meeting a long time, I am glad to be able to offer practical assistance against such an oppressive regime."

Leia smiled warmly.

"We welcome any and all genuine help." She answered.

Luke said sotto voce to Mara: "Unless and until Ambassador Elan and Nikolai throw a hydrospanner into the works."

He cast a glance at Elan and Nikolai, noting their body language, briefly looking into their eyes for any subtle emotions. He wondered what would come of the sudden presence of Governor Vedere. What moves would Nikolai make? How would Elan explain herself if at all?

"Father…"

The Governor raised a hand, silencing his son. "I believe Princess Organa has the floor." He said, in a deep rumbling voice.

Nikolai bowed his head, but even Leia could tell he did so unwillingly.

"Of course, Father."  
The governor turned back to her. "Princess." He gestured.  
"Thank you, but before we begin the talks, Governor Vedere, I believe there is a matter which must be attended to." Leia cast a glance toward Nikolai. "One of our party saw your son, Nikolai Vedere in close conversation with Ambassador Elan, the time and location of which is irrelevant." Leia said, at her most regal. "However, from what we have gathered it appears that their agenda is quite different from the one that has brought our two parties together."

Elan did her best to look unimpressed and unruffled by the Princess' accusations, while Nikolai studied his nails absentmindedly. He gave off a cool demeanor, but his father's presence had obviously put crimp in his plans and he was nervously chomping at the proverbial bit.

"In fact, Governor, I am wondering if these talks are at all possible, due to the nature of these current arrangements." She looked at him pointedly. "Now, granted these could be very well going on behind your back; however, it calls into question the Adumarian's stance. That being said, I think an explanation is required, don't you?"

He looked to his son.

"Quite so." Vedere paused. "I assure you, Princess Organa, that the Adumarians are most sincere in their offer to the Alliance—and that any indiscretion on my son's part does not reflect the current government at hand." He glared at Nikolai "Nor have they gone entirely unnoticed. The Chief Magistrate of the Financial District came by inquiring into your personal datafiles and private messages," It was obvious he was addressing his errant son now."Of course I was reluctant to believe that one such as my son could be under suspicion of anything heinous. Not when I'd taught him so well. I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt, Nikolai, but in light of such new circumstances, your trustworthiness is hence forth being called into question."

"I assure you, Father," Nikolai objected, trying to remain unruffled. "I had no idea Ambassador Elan was anything more or less than she claimed to be. I was assured this was all with the permission of the Adumarian government."

"Do not lie, Nikolai." His father barked. "I'm well aware that you have come out here hoping to subvert my mission. There is no one on Adumur known as Elan Donyei, she wasn't created until six months ago, but I'm sure you're well aware of that." His eyes searched for Elan this time. "You hoped to ally yourself with her. What did she offer you?"

The room darkened suddenly, the power going out. Leia stood from her spot, searching in the dark blindly.  
"Powers out." Han grumbled. "I knew it."  
"Search for the source of the power." Vedere growled.

Luke sought out Elan's presence in the dark but found it lacking. He gritted his teeth. It was not going to go that easy.  
"Here." A man's voice called out—one of the dignitaries. "I have a glow rod." A faint green glow appeared.

Within moments, the power was restored.

Elan was nowhere to be found.

"She timed it." Mara murmured.

"She's gone!" The Governor stood up, bellowing. "GUARDS! Search for the she-devil! I want her brought in for questioning! Unharmed if at all possible."

He looked to his son. Nikolai was flushed, his cheek twitching, obviously Elan giving him the slip had not been in the plans.

"It seems your cohort has hung you out to dry, Nikolai." Vedere said, frowning. "I think this nullifies any excuse you can give me, don't you?"

Mara suddenly noticed they were missing another of their party.  
Luke.

**.**

Elan didn't do running scared but she had to get out of here before they noticed she was missing—which was about now. The power came back on, bathing the ship in light. She cursed. She'd been able to find her way through the darkened corridors with night-vision goggles.  
She stopped at a nearby trash chute, hurriedly stripping off her gown and wig. She shoved both articles down the chute, now dressed in a grey jumpsuit, with her hair still under the wig cap.  
She'd deal with that later. Right now, she had to get to her ship. She'd be home free as soon as she made it to the orbital space station.

"Going somewhere, Elan…or would you prefer I called you Shira?"  
The voiced stopped her in her tracks and she pivoted, eyes scanning the nearby area.  
"Luke." She purred menacingly. "It's good to see you."  
Luke walked into view casually, as if there wasn't a squad of guardsman about to converge upon their location.

"I wish I could say the same, but I'm half wondering what you're doing here."

She shrugged. "Just business."

"Vader?"

"Perhaps. What gave me away?"

Luke frowned inwardly. He didn't like the thought of being snooped upon; whether it was Vader's doing or the Emperor's.

"It was the scent of your perfume." He replied. "It always amazes me why you choose to wear such a hideously scented smell. It makes you stand out like a Hutt in the sun."

She gave a mocking smile. "Always the charmer." She stopped, straining her ears. "So, are you planning to reveal me to your little playmates?"

Luke snorted. "As much as I would love to, I'm afraid that wouldn't be all too wise now would it?"

Shira gave a shocked look. "I do believe you're right."

"Palpatine knew about the Adumarians, didn't he?" Luke questioned.

"You know our Master." She could hear approaching feet. "I believe that's my cue to leave. Do you want to go with "plan zeta"?"

Plan Zeta was Shira Brie's code word for her knocking him out. The things he had to do…

"If you don't mind."

"It'll be my pleasure."

"And, Shira, tell "the dog" not to interfere with my mission again…"

**.**

That was, of course, the last thing he recalled before he woke up on a medbay bed, inside Governor Vedere's starship. He had a thundering headache—it appeared Shira had done her job too well. No doubt the woman had enjoyed it. His head felt like it had nearly been split open—undoubtedly due to her well-placed blaster hilt. He moaned loudly, fluttering his eyelids, and reached up to touch the crown of his skull.

Oh, yes, she had indeed done a number on his cranium.

"Luke?" Mara's voice entered his conscious awareness. "Thomas, can you go alert Princess Organa. Tell her that Luke Skywalker is awake."  
"Certainly, Ma'am." A voice assured, and Luke heard the door slide open then close.  
He moaned again as if trying to catch her attention once more.

"Luke? It's me, Mara. Can you hear me?"

"Mara?"He murmured, slightly dazed.

"Yes, it's me."

"What-what happened?" He murmured.

He knew perfectly well what happened—he'd engineered it all, and Shira had carried it out beautifully. He'd be feeling this for awhile no doubt. He could hardly employ Force healing techniques. It would raise too much suspicion. That was the price he had to pay, he supposed.

"We found you lying on the floor of the hangar. You were knocked out…we think it was Elan." Mara stroked his forehead. "She conked you pretty bad." Sympathy radiated in the Force and showed on her face. "What were you doing..?"

The door slid open once more and Luke blearily turned his eyes toward it.

Leia stepped into the medbay, followed by Han and the Wookie. Concern was showing on her face.  
"He looks still out of it, Mara." Leia commented, coming up beside him. She gestured for Han to find her a chair and the ex-smuggler did. He remained standing while Leia pulled up a chair next to him.  
"He can talk." His companion said defensively."A bit..."

Even Han looked a bit concerned.

"Are you all right, Luke?" Leia asked. "What made you go chasing after, Elan? What were you doing there? That was very reckless."

Han chided. "Easy, Princess, the Kid'll be lucky if he doesn't have a concussion."

"I agree." A woman stepped in looking stern. "Mr. Skywalker needs rest. He's in no condition to answer any questions at the moment."  
"And you are?" Leia asked, getting up.

"Savanja. I'm the Chief Medic aboard this vessel. If you need to question your companion, you shall do so after I have cleared him. Is that understood?"

"Of course." Leia agreed, getting up from her seat. She walked toward the door, nodding in Savanja's direction. "I leave him in your hands. C'mon, Han, Chewie.." She stopped noticing Mara lingering near Luke's bed. "Mara?"

The red-head was looking into Luke's eyes, studying him. She lifted her head. "I'll be there in a minute." The look she gave the medic said she wouldn't be argued with. "This will only take a moment."

"A minute." Savanja reiterated.

She withdrew, but only to retreat to a medical prep table. Mara shrugged, taking what she could get. She turned back to Luke and sighed.

"I agree with Leia, that was a very stupid thing. You could have gotten killed." She whispered fiercely."

"But I didn't. I'm…"

The word 'fine' died on his lips as soon as he saw the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Mara…are you…crying?" He asked, slightly stunned.

"Of course I am, you di'kut." She muttered, wiping them away. "Don't you think you're worth it?"

"That's not it, it's just…" He winced.

She shook her head. "Don't. You just get some rest."

He attempted to speak once more and she put her two fingers to his lips. "Shhh."

It was then that it happened. It took Luke completely unaware, and for a moment he was able to ignore the pain.

Mara kissed him softly on the lips; the kiss lasted only for a moment, but he could feel the torrent of emotion behind it.

When she pulled back, he could taste the saltiness of her tears as well as the sweetness of her lips on his. He lay their stunned by the entire moment; his brain still trying to process the suddenness of it.

Mara smiled once more and stroked his head once more.

"You take it easy. Don't give the medic a hard time, okay?"

She straightened up, leaving the room without saying another word.

Well, he thought in a daze. He hadn't planned for that.  
_


	20. Chapter Three - Part Seven (Final)

Note: So Jade and I worked hard to get this part done; for you guys. This will be the end to chapter 3. We'll be moving onto chapter four next week.

**.**

Nikolai was arrested shortly thereafter, placed in military grade binders, and led off by his father's personal retinue. But before he did, he gave a complete disclosure of his betrayals and the many generous reasons behind.

He had been approached by Elan Donyei, a month in advanced to her appointment as ambassador. Apparently, Governor Vedere had been making plans for Adumar to benefit from the war between the Empire and the band of rebels. The planet had tried to remain neutral for many years since the Old Republic; favoring staying out of the Empire's roaming eye. So the truth Elan presented was destructive; Vedere intended to aid the Rebellion by giving them sanctuary in one of Adumar's ports.

Elan had pressed upon the folly of the governor's choice to form a pact with the rebels. If Adumar was found out to have sided with the rebellion not only would Adumar come under fire by the Empire's wrath, than Nikolai would lose everything; including his wealth and his status. Elan knew what a vain man he was and had used it well against him.

She promised him that if he would help her find the rebel base than she would grant his riches beyond his wildest dreams. He would be granted his father's position—and a place in the Empire. The planet of Adumar, as compensation, would be allowed to go about their business without fear of the Empire's intrusion.

Nikolai had agreed to the deal and had managed to swing the ambassador's position. He had convinced his father of her worthiness, backing her false story of being from a political family dating back to the Clone Wars. He obtained all manner of personal information; passwords, top secret data, and access to restricted areas of his father's mansion. He had engineered it all so skillfully with her; even the plan to have his father delayed and out of the way for the imminent meeting.

The initial plan was that the Governor would join them after his business had been concluded on Adumar. Elan would start the initial proceedings on the governor's behalf. However, he did not bank upon having saboteurs in his midst and the business on Adumar had taken longer thanks to Nikolai himself who had fattened the purses of several key government officials.

And the rest, as they say, was history.

Nikolai also revealed that the men and women who had accompanied them to the orbital station had been kept in the dark and were not party to their plan. As unscrupulous as he was, he had had at least the decency to keep innocent people out of his arrangement.

"Great guy," Han muttered, watching Nikolai be led away. "Sells out his dad, but stops to save pittens. Regular hero."

"Maybe he's not so bad after all." Mara commented.

He gave her a 'give me a break' look.

"Or maybe he's looking for leniency." He looked around. "C'mon let's get out of here. Leia said she can handle these proceedings on her own." He looked upon the table.

"The Governor seems like a good man."

"He does, doesn't he?"

**.**

Governor Vedere frowned as he took a seat in the ship's main briefing room. He was still smarting from Nikolai's duplicity. He hoped Leia wouldn't reconsider her earlier assent to an agreement, but he wouldn't blame her if she did.

Leia gave him an inscrutable look; somehow, despite Nikolai's treachery, she still trusted the Governor's sincerity. She took a long sip of her cool drink.

For this meeting, Han and Mara didn't need to be present, so she would bring them up to date with what happened afterwards. She smiled inwardly. Mara hadn't left Luke's side since he'd come to.

Leia now said: "I am assured by the fact that your government acted so promptly and so judiciously in the face of what is indisputably a very public embarrassment, and for you, a very personal humiliation. I still would like to come to an agreement with the Adumarians. We desperately need all the resources and allies we can get."

"My son's actions reflect only a very small, incidental faction." Vedere answered, taking a thoughtful sip of his hot beverage. "I and the majority of the populace want the Empire to be stopped, and would welcome the chance to be part of that process."

Leia's smile was genuine. "I have drafted a preliminary treaty. Please look it over, and if it comes to your satisfaction, we can sign it."

She slid an electronic 'padd over, across the polished tabletop.

The Governor glanced through it for several moments, then smiled at her.

"I think everything is in order."

He picked up a stylus and affixed his name and official seal.

Leia did likewise and applied the time/date stamp.

He asked after Skywalker's prognosis and Leia was pleased to say that Luke was coming along nicely.

She thanked him for the services of his very competent chief medic.

**.**

Mara paused at the entrance to the medbay. She didn't know whether to be impressed or infuriated with Luke for going after the false Ambassador. What if he'd gotten himself killed? A hollow ache formed in her stomach at the very thought.

As for the spontaneous kiss earlier, it had surprised her as much as Luke. Mara didn't regret it, and he had obviously been very pleased - given the shine in those sky-blue eyes.

The effect Luke was having on her emotions made her want to leave and stay, at the same time. The latter feeling won out, because she really did feel concerned about how he was doing. Making up her mind, she palmed open the door.

**.**

Luke lay in the medbay, resting on his side, facing away from the door. He'd fallen back to sleep under Mara's urgings. His head had really been killing him so he hadn't argued much. Arguing only seemed to make it hurt more. Mara had gently stroked his forehead as he drifted off to sleep. She was no longer stroking his forehead, but he could feel her presence. She had remained at his side throughout this painful ordeal.

It seemed to sadden him that she had left briefly. He could feel it in her Force aura, as well as the concern as she re-entered the room.

He took comfort in this. He studied the wall, wondering what her face looked like at this moment. He had seen such concern earlier. Did she still have such a look on her face? Luke wasn't able to tell given the circumstance nor did he feel like turning around to look. He just wanted to lay there for a bit.

Sometime later, when Luke had almost drifted off again, he heard the scrape of a chair. Mara was moving from her place at his side and getting up. His heart jumped slightly.

He dared calling out to her, wanting to keep her with him, somehow: "Mara." His voice was hoarse.

He heard her stop in place, pivot—but she didn't return.

"Yes?"

His mouth felt like he had cotton in it and he tried to summon saliva but was unable to do so. When he didn't respond, he felt her take a few steps forward.

"Is there something I can do for you?"

It was such a generic statement. He frowned inwardly, feeling the anxiety coming from her. She was…worried?

"No." Luke cleared his throat. "I feel a bit ... parched, though."

Mara felt relief at something practical to do; she moved to the side table and filled a glass of cool water from the pitcher and held it to Luke's lips. He drank deeply, but she withdrew after a few sips. "Not too much, too fast." She warned.

Luke nodded, and smiled at her in thanks.

"I'll let you rest," Mara said. "It's what will help the most."

Luke frowned, struggling to move, to talk, to do anything. He could see she was withdrawing from him for some reason.

Seeing this, Mara assured, "I'll have a medic comm me or Leia if you need something," and with that she left.

"Mara?" Luke murmured as the door closed behind her.

Confusion settled over his face and in his heart. This woman was more baffling than anyone he had ever met in his entire life.

_


	21. Chapter Four - Part One

Note from Jade: Whee on being able to say that! We tweaked and retweaked, wanted things to come out just right, for Luke/Mara. Things are certainly deeper between them, if not at the steam-inducing point yet.

~~~~!

Leia smiled and closed her 'padd as their ship jumped to hyperspace. "It's so nice to have that situation resolved." She commented. "I just got a message from Mon Mothma thanking all of us for all of our hard work in resolving what could have been a diplomatic catastrophe."

Han rolled his eyes. "That's putting it mildly."

He glanced across at Luke and Mara who were scrupulously avoiding one another's glances.

He leaned close and whispered to Leia: "Those two are avoiding each other like the worst case of the Krytos Plague."

Leia whispered back: "I've noticed. Frankly, I thought it would be otherwise. She never left his medbay room, and before this mission they were always together. Luke certainly never made a secret of his feelings about Mara."

Leia had picked up on Mara's concern for Luke after his confrontation with "Elan". She had thought things would be cozier and kind of warm/cuddly between them, but the opposite seemed to be occurring.

Han answered: "She never blatantly encouraged or discouraged him. Now, she's freezing him out totally."

Leia wondered if she should broach the subject to either one of them, and shrugged. If they wanted to talk to her, in a confiding sort of way, she'd be open ... but she herself wouldn't meddle.

Han gazed over at Luke and Mara thoughtfully. Mara was a beautiful and outspoken woman, and he'd long since concluded that if anyone could smooth out Luke's rougher edges, she'd be the right lady for it.

Luke certainly had never made a secret of his attraction; now it looked like he'd rather be 5 sectors away than in the same breathing space.

Han - in contrast to Leia - decided to thaw things a bit. "Well," He said to Luke, "Nothing like a little adventure followed by a close call to impress a lady, don't you think?"

Luke glowered but refrained from commenting.

Mara spoke up: "I would hardly call it that, Solo."

"Hmmm! It certainly pushed your sympathy buttons, Jade."

She avoided his gaze with a pointed "Drop it." expression.

Han caught Leia's: "Why'd you have to say that look?"

He smirked.

Luke and Mara's obvious attraction wasn't the only one going on here.

From the first moment he'd laid eyes upon Leia Organa, he'd been struck by her loveliness and from their first verbal tussle, he'd known that she was the only one who could match his Correllian wit barb for barb, give him as good as he got.

He found that refreshing and quite entertaining.

He certainly wouldn't mind stirring some softer emotions in the lady-although sometimes she struck him as being too focused on the "business at hand."

Even after that unimaginable loss she'd suffered, or maybe because of it, she didn't seem to want to reach out and get too close, to anyone.

Han thought fleetingly that if he were injured and if Leia showed a modicum of interest, he wouldn't follow that up by icy silence. Nope, he knew how to treat a beautiful woman and show her a good time and gratitude besides.

He realized that it wasn't a strange thought after all. For, now that he thought about it, he'd been as absorbed in the sometimes-prickly Leia as much as Luke had in the feisty Mara Jade.

Leia noticed that Han's little nudge had fallen flat with a resounding thud.

She shot him a frustrated look that clearly conveyed he'd made things worse between the other two.

His answering look said "I don't see how it could."

"You have all the tact of a stampeding herd of banthas." Leia commented.

Han laughed. "I'd have guessed you'd find it refreshing after all the boot-licking sycophants you've been exposed to."

"Candor is one thing, tastelessness is something else altogether." She retorted.

He smiled. "Admit it, Leia, I fascinate you."

"Don't flatter yourself." She blushed. Silently, she admitted, he did. Always had ... Han stood out from the other pilots, both in skill and in personality. It infuriated her to no end, but it also lightened her day to snark with him.

**.**

Mara sat with her arms across her chest, trying to avoid the stare she knew was aimed her way. She and Luke had only spoken when necessary and had not spoken to each other that much. Her heart was a swarm of emotions at the moment. She desperately wanted to talk to him, but he was avoiding her like the plague. Had she done the wrong thing by kissing him? She hated to think she had destroyed any hope of a civil relationship she'd had with him; after all, she was the only one who he was really close to.

Then, Han had to make a snarky comment. It had struck a nerve because her concern and affection for Luke had come to the fore after that incident with the infiltrator, who bore such a weird resemblance to her.  
Mara wondered: if she spoke to Luke now, should she try to broach the subject? Or be nonchalant and try to reestablish their former footing?

**.**

Luke hadn't said more than a few words to Mara since he'd boarded the shuttle. It wasn't that he was angry, he was just baffled, and he knew that if he opened his mouth nothing good would come out. He didn't know how to handle what had happened between them—and he didn't know the proper response. He'd never felt like this before and had never encountered something quite like this.

This was a definite first for the Emperor's Hand.

That one kiss had taken him completely aback—and when she had left his medbay room without a backward glance, he'd been stunned. Normally, he would never let such a small thing get to him. After all, he was known to be quite the player by those who knew him—and he had never done anything to discourage their assumptions. It had been useful.

Now, he wasn't sure what to make of that reputation.

He looked over to Mara, who was doing her best to avoid him as much as he her.

Solo had spoken needlessly, Oh, he knew perfectly well what the ex-smuggler was trying to do. He saw a volatile situation and was trying to diffuse it as one would a bomb. Unfortunately it wouldn't be that easy, and he had made things worse than he had made them better. He had seen Mara shoot the smuggler a look.

When Luke had looked into Mara's eyes, he had seen the depth of her feelings. She had realized them; and that's why she had kissed him without a thought. That was until she'd done a complete roundabout and acted like she couldn't be bothered. He glanced at her again. Now that he examined her expression more closely, she wasn't angry or regretful, simply as confounded and bewildered as he was.

**.**

They arrived at the rebel base four days later.

The crew disembarked, shouldering their bags and greeting comrades.

Leia excused herself, saying she needed to speak with Mon Mothma amongst others. Han mumbled something about attending to the Falcon and called out to Chewbacca. The enormous Wookie cast a glance at Luke and Mara before lumbering off.

The two were left alone except for maintenance techs.

If the silence between them had been bad before it was even worse now.

"I'm going to go…to my room. I'm dead tired." She'd had to report to the leaders as well, but Leia had said she'd smooth things over and for her to get some rest.

He nodded. "I'll see you for dinner then I guess."

It was the first time they'd spoken to each other willingly since the trip started.

Mara picked up her bag and headed off.

Luke watched her leave, her hair glistening under the lights.

Mara came to a decision. She stopped suddenly, "Luke..."

"Yes?" He said, eyes raised to meet hers. He was a bit wary of what she had to say.

They started heading toward the crew-quarters.

"I don't know what any of this between us means or is leading to ... but I do not regret any of it, except freezing you out, like you had done something wrong, which you didn't."

He stood there for a moment, unsure of what his response should be. Thank you? I'm sorry? What was the proper response to an apology of someone who had kissed you and then withdrawn herself.  
None of these seemed right.  
He didn't know what to do…and until he had figured out what he did want to do, he couldn't go forward yet.

He decided. "I think we should sleep on this." He said slowly

Mara's face turned red.

"Individually." He amended. "We haven't spoken since the medbay…." He saw her on the verge of refuting this claim. "Not willingly anyway; I'd rather not say anything more until we're thinking clearly." He had a sick feeling as he said this, but he was sure this was the correct response. "This relationship hinges on it…what's more, our job hinges on it."

What are you doing!? His mind seemed to scream.  
Mara had gone through the trouble of actually reaching out to him and it was almost like he was shutting her out.  
Then again, what was he supposed to do, say no problem let's talk our feelings out. He snorted. If you asked him what was the most painless way to kill a man without arousing suspicion, he could tell you-but as for romance and relationships; he was a complete novice. He was floundering around with these new found feelings and he didn't know which way was up or down. Half of his leeriness probably came from the fact that he knew deep down if he lost Mara-even as a friend, he would not be unaffected.

Mara stopped and gazed at him with puzzlement.

Now who's sending mixed signals? He was practically pouting that whole entire trip back. She rolled her eyes.

"I can't forget it happened." She said bluntly.

"You think I can?" He asked caustically, obviously frustrated.

"Then all we can do is move forward, see what happens. I'm not one for pretending."

That was one thing he liked about her, that had struck him early on.

I could really think this to death, literally, Luke thought. Careful thought was needed, but so was letting things occur as they would, to an extent.

They had arrived at her door.

"OK, starting with dinner tonight," Mara answered, "Let's not force anything. We won't avoid each other or the subject, but we won't press it, either." She wondered fleetingly how they'd know the time was right to talk; she hoped one of them would, and would be able to talk the other one into a frank discussion.

Luke smiled, feeling slightly better. The mood was not as tense as it was, and although their relationship wasn't back to a hundred percent, it would get there. He could tell she wasn't going to give up so easily. He was glad about that. And at least, Mara was not angry, nor their former friendship ravaged.

"All right, Mara. I'll see you then."

++++


	22. Chapter Four - Part Two

Note: More collab, more tweaking. Please enjoy!

.

"Hey, Boss," Hobbie said, throwing his arm around Luke's shoulder.

Luke looked to his fellow pilot. The title 'boss' had always thrown him off. It seemed like a careless word that Hobbie and his partner in crime, Wes Janson threw around. After all, what had he done to warrant such an appellation?  
"I've told you, Hobbie…"

"Yeah, yeah, you don't like the title, boss." He waved it off. "Just think of it like a nickname. Sort of like ace…which I hear is very true." He winked.

Luke sighed. "What did you hear, Kilivian?"

"Oh, word is…"

"Hey, Luke." Wes greeted, joining the two pilots.

"Where's Antilles?"Hobbie inquired.

"Should be along shortly. Told us to go ahead and eat without him."

"Well, his loss eh?" He was grinning at Luke—a grin Luke didn't like. "So, as I was saying, word is…you performed some rather elite acts of heroism." He winked at Wes conspiratorially.

Wes catching on nodded. "Heroics that won the heart of fair Jade, from what I hear tell."

Luke ignored them and continued to head for the mess hall.

He sighed. When Wes and Hobbie started spouting lines that sounded like they were from Alderannian theater production, he knew he was in for one hell of an interrogation. These men were ceaseless with their ribbings and hadn't stopping teasing him about Mara since day one. Most of which, he believed in the beginning, were unfounded. His relationship with Mara Jade had been at the very beginning stages and hadn't warranted so much innuendo and jokes.

Though given the latest circumstances, which they'd no doubt somehow heard about, he probably wouldn't be able to protest sufficiently this time. He and Mara had shared a kiss. As much as their body language had revealed truths early on, the kiss he'd shared with her was far above that level…and that was something he could not deny. Nor would he want to frankly.

"I'm sorry, boys, but I'm not saying a thing." He really didn't want to talk about it. He'd hardly talked about it with the woman herself after all.

"Funny, that was Mara's response too." Hobbie commented. "She's been awful tight-lipped ever since returning. Awful suspicious don't you think for two people that just had their first romantic encounter?" He was leering by now and his prose was just getting more irritating.

Wes looked to Hobbie, his face looking serious.

Luke stopped at the entrance to the mess hall and shot them a stony look.

"There's nothing to tell." He said dismissively, before entering.

Why couldn't they take a hint? It was hard enough trying to figure it out on his own without the comedy patrol hounding him for intimate details. There was silence for awhile and Luke couldn't help but hope that the two had gotten the hint and dropped it.

"What's wrong?" Wes asked. "You're acting…"

"Stand-offish."Hobbie supplied.

"Nothing's wrong." Luke denied emphatically.

"Heh, yeah right. Like I believe that." He turned to Hobbie "What do you think, Kilivian?"

"I think there's something Luke boy isn't telling us." Hobbie moved in beside him when Luke stepped into the mess hall line.

"Agreed." Wes said.

Luke ignored them once again, grabbing a tray. He moved down the line until the server slopped what passed for grub on his plate. He picked up a dinner roll at the end of the line and filled his cup with some type of juice.

He could feel Wes and Hobbie behind him, dogging his heels. They simply would not let up!

He stopped short turning toward them.

"If I tell you, will you stop bugging me?" He scoffed. "Hell, maybe you can help." He set the tray down. "I'm not batting a thousand at this moment anyway."

He wasn't sure whether employing the jokesters was the smart idea but he had no one else to turn to.

Well, there was Han but all he did was make matters worse.

Make things worse...that was possibly the definition of asking Hobbie and Wes for advice.

The two exchanged looks. "Sure, Luke," Hobbie said, taking a seat beside him. "What's on your mind?"

"Mara."

"Is that's serious?" Wes asked, taking a seat on the other side of Luke.

"I don't know; all I know is…" Luke's words trailed off as he caught sight of Mara.

She had just entered the mess hall. She looked around, scanning the room probably searching for him. Upon spotting him, she started forward. Many of the male soldiers looked up watching her as she passed their tables. It was always like that; Mara tended to turn a great number of heads because of her looks. Despite all this, her looks weren't the only thing that counted he knew. Many of them vastly respected Mara for her skills as a technician.

She approached their table, stopping on the other side . Wes and Hobbie looked askance at her.

Mara caught their surreptitious glances and smirked. "What no-good, infantile prank are you two cooking up?"

"Who, us?" Wes asked, all too innocently. "Luke was just ..."

"It's nothing. It appears word of what happened during our mission to Adumar travels quickly is all."

He felt Mara had perhaps rescued him from a disaster in the making.

Mara grimaced. She could just bet they had teased Luke about her. There wasn't anything to tell, specifically, and she was sure he had told Wes and Hobbie that, but they never got the hint unless a duracrete brick fell on their heads.

"We were about to impart some timeless words of romantic wisdom." Hobbie said.

"You want to know what I think?" Mara said. "Any advice you would have in that department would land with a dull thud with the ladies in question."

"Ouch!" Wes said. "I'm wounded."

"Spare me." Mara murmured. She sat down on the other side of the table.

Luke took this opportunity to bring up the sims that would take place the next day. A topic which Wes and Hobbie took to eagerly.

He turned toward Mara. "Want to talk after dinner? We'd probably have more privacy then."

"That sounds good."

**.**

After dinner, Mara and Luke found a secluded corner away from the others. They were both relieved to escape Wes and Hobbie.  
Luke had given Mara a signal when Wes and Hobbie were pestering another pilot, named Dak. They had decided that was the best time to leave unnoticed.

"Thanks for taking the time to talk." Luke murmured, momentarily looking around them.

"It's nothing; it was my fault anyway. I went ahead and kissed you and then..." She sighed. "I don't know..I got scared I guess."

"I don't think that's entirely true." He studied his hands. "I'm more to blame than you are..I took everything too personally. The thing is...I've never really been close to anyone, not as friends...and much less as..." He fumbled for the word.

"Lovers." She supplied

"Something like that yes.."  
He looked up into her eyes and saw curiosity.  
"Truth be told, I'm not sure what to make of these feelings. I'm not very good at expressing my own."

Mara snorted. "I don't know you seem pretty well at expressing them in that condescending way of yours." He could tell she was good naturedly ribbing him.

"That's different, Mara. Dealing with emotions of scorn, sarcasm, disgust, irritation..anything the opposite of pleasant I'm a master at. But give me heartfelt dialogue and its like swallowing a guuna seed."

Mara grimaced wryly. "I don't have an enormous amount of experience with deep feelings, either, as I suppose you might have guessed. We'll just have to get used to the experience of having them, and maybe learning how to share them."

"I think that would do, yes." Luke said agreeably.

+++++++

TBC, more progress - we're getting there


	23. Interlude

Note: The next chapter probably will be up by Sunday...this is just a short interlude. I worked on this piece myself and Jade gave it her seal of approval.

Thanks to everyone for reviewing. We think the relationship is progressing nicely too. After this..she and I are going to turn the heat up a notch or two.

**Interlude**

He and Mara met the next day after lunch and often during their mutual breaks. Their budding relationship wasn't perfect and it was far from smooth due to Luke's reluctance and uncertainty, but it seemed to be coming along well. Much more than when they had first encountered their feelings.

He kept thinking back to their first kiss, her withdraw. They talked it over once more; admitting to eachother there was no harm in exploring where the relationship led.  
When they talked after lunch, he would watch her intently. He loved looking at her—a strange feeling to him—and not because of her looks, but because there was something about her. Despite everything, despite his worries over his own relationship centered inadequacies, he felt at peace with her.

"Planetary Control to Luke," she was often heard to repeat.

He started out of his reverie, smiling.

"Sorry," he often apologized.

"So you keep saying. You know, it's because you keep staring like that that those bunglers give you and me a hard time."

"I'll try to be more subtle then."

She smiled, adoring the embarrassed look he took on.

This was one of the many lunches they would have together.

**.**

When he wasn't visiting Mara, Luke often spent his free time on his fighter. Eventually, it wasn't long until Mara started to come down to the hanger, and help him as he worked on it. They would talk, with Luke's small astromech droid looking on. He found that this time was better than any time else. It was just him and Mara, alone. No, Janson, no Hobbie, no Antillies. Not Han or Leia. No Chewbacca or Threepio. Or any other military member for that matter.

Just them….and Artoo. But the droid was hardly a nuisance.

"You really like working on your own fighter, don't you?" She asked him once.

"It's very cathartic. I like working with my hands, helps me focus on something other than a thousand other things I have no control over."

"Like us "

Us. The word was so intriguing. He had to admit there was indeed an 'us' in between him and Mara. He'd be a fool to deny that.

He hadn't planned to develop feelings for Mara—and he was positive he was destroying some semblance of Imperial protocol by doing it.

He hadn't been able to push aside those feelings though.

Another event that became the norm was taking walks around the base on Adumar. It was nice and peaceful. They often found their hands brushing against eachothers and sometimes he held hers—which had earned him a solid ribbing by the boys for a week much to his chagrin.

**.**

Months continued to pass on since the mission and all seemed well for the Alliance. They were making small headway in their battle against the Empire. But eventually they had had to vacate the base on Adumar. The Alliance high Command feared the Empire was catching on to them, and not wanting to cause any undo trouble for Adumar, left.

There were rumors their next base was going to be located somewhere in the Hoth system.

"Great. I get to freeze my tail off." Mara muttered.

Luke raised a brow. "I thought being raised on Tatooine the cold would be a reprieve."

She rolled her eyes. "You're as dumb as a farmkid sometimes, Skywalker."

Mara then went on to explain to him how climate acclimation worked—as if he were some…dumb farmkid.

Somehow Luke had a feeling there was some farmer on Tatooine who was cringing under the misplaced insult.

"Are you listening?" She asked exasperated.

"Yes, but could you explain it again."

She growled, sensing he was messing with her.

"Well, at least if I'm freezing you won't be far behind." She could take comfort in that.

**End Interlude.**


	24. Chapter Four - Part Three

Note: We tried to give these lovebirds extra screen time...we've reached our halfway point and now we're going into ESB territory. This is where it gets serious folks!

* * *

Mara finished packing her carryall bag. She was planning to slip away, unnoticed, to go to Dagobah to train under Master Yoda - who was in hiding from Imperial minions. This action had been a backup contingency all along, but she had hoped it would not be necessary. Now, unfortunately, it had come to be, with the loss of Kenobi.

The Alliance also was under the crunch of undesirable circumstance.

The Imperial probe droids had come out of seemingly nowhere. No one was reluctant to evacuate, frankly; this was probably the most inhospitable base any one could have chosen.  
But with Star Destroyers hovering nearby in a silent, but very real threat, evacuation protocols went into effect.

She paused. Luke was doubtless preparing to join the pilot squadrons in leading the evacuation. She picked up a holocube and recorded a quick message.

Mara pocketed the cube and went to the pilots' hangar and called to R2, Luke's astromech, who incidentally, had finished preflight checks long before the others.

"Keep this and give it to Luke when you get to the rendezvous." She instructed R2, securing the cube in his secret compartment.

At his tootled query, she shook her head. "No, I'm not leaving with the other techs."

His answering boops had a concerned note.

She smiled. "Something important I need to take care of, is all."

His answering tootle seemed to indicate he would do as she asked.

"Thanks." Mara said and exited before the others in the hangar could stop her with unwanted questions.

**.**

**.**

"Clearing the way," Luke acknowledged.

He and the rest of Rogue Flight had been commissioned to guard the frigates as they made their escape from Echo Base.

"Rogue Leader," A voice cut in. It was Hobbie.

"What is it, Klivian?"

"We appreciate you taking over for Wedge."

Antilles had been injured in the battle and Luke being second in command, and the best pilot next to him had been handed the job of guiding Rogue Flight the rest of the way. So naturally it was his and the rest of the Rogue's job to ensure the frigates made it out.

"No sweat." He flipped a switch. "Let's cut the chatter," He pulled his ship to port, almost hugging the frigate as it made its escape through Hoth's atmosphere.

He was nervous enough without those chuckle heads distracting him. Mara had still been inside the base as far as he knew. He'd been reluctant to leave her behind, but it couldn't be helped. She had probably gotten away with the other techs and operators. They'd picked up quite a bit of women in the months following Adumar.

"Stay close and stay alert, boys. We've got Star Destroyers overhead that'll be taking potshots at the moment we break the planet's gravity."

"Roger, Boss."

"Ain't much better now, Luke," Janson said.

He rolled his eyes then took a breath, his mind going back to Mara. He'd see her soon.

**.**

He, along with the rest of the squadron, regrouped with the fleet shortly after the escape from Echo Base. They were several light years away from the Hoth System and their next move was tentative. There hadn't been any doubt that the Empire would have found them sooner than later. Many would have hoped for later though. It was only a matter of time since they were constantly living on borrowed time. Just when things were getting settled…

He cursed the Empire.

He blinked, shocked by this thought.

Where had that come from? He wondered silently.

Luke knew such thoughts were traitorous in nature. They went against all he stood for and all he fought for.

Then again, was it really any surprise? Even though he did vehemently support the Empire, he knew the real driving force behind it; why he cursed it at times. After all, he had no love for its self proclaimed ruler, the Emperor.

Though the Empire was still the Empire wasn't it?

He shook his head. He didn't need to contemplate this right now. He had no time to do it. He needed to focus.

He noticed a knocking on his canopy and looked to the left to see Wes Janson grinning foolishly. He rolled his eyes and suppressed a sigh before popping the canopy.

Janson stepped back and down the ladder.

"Time to check in, Boss." He said, still grinning.

"Thanks." Luke responded gruffly.

He undid the chinstrap on his helmet and pulled it off then stood up in the fighter, ruffling his hair to get rid of the helmet hair that was undeniably present. Janson clucked over this act.

"Now, now, Chief, you can get yourself all gussied up later."

Luke shot him a partly-scathing glance. The other climbed the rest of the way down the later as if Luke wasn't sending him a death stare. He chuckled.

Upon disembarking from his fighter and filing in to get a count of all personnel who had made it out, he learned that Han and Leia had not made it back. In fact, they had been one of the last ships to leave Echo Base.

"Solo had the Princess aboard his ship." Madine reported. "We do not know where they are presently." There had been such a rush to leave, of course they hadn't had time to count every ship.

He looked around. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen Mara lately. He frowned. Well, perhaps she was just with the techs.

When the debriefing had ended, Luke broke off from the others, turning to a pilot. "Have you seen, Mara Jade?" He asked. "Red-head, green eyes." Most of the pilots and general staff knew Mara fairly well.

The man shrugged, and issued, "No."

"Thanks anyway…" He bypassed a few more people, stopping to ask them each in turn.

The response was the same. No one had seen Mara.

Suddenly, something rammed into his leg. He stopped short. "Hey!" he snapped, turning to meet his assailant. The small blue-striped R2 unit backed up, whistling mournfully. "Oh, it's you, Artoo." He raised a brow and propped his hands on his hips. "What is it?"

The astrodroid began to whistle frantically.

"Woah, woah, slow down. I can't understand a word you're saying…" Luke looked around. "Let's find a stationand plug you in." He was only able to decipher the R2 unit minimally; though he was becoming more accustomed to its mannerism.

He rolled back and forth, his dome swiveling, as if he was negating Luke's command. The pilot frowned.

"What's with you?" He asked exasperated. "Did the cold short circuit your boards or something?"

R2 gave him what was the equivalent to a raspberry.

"I can easily turn you into scrap metal you know." He tried to sound menacing, but ultimately failed.

The droid then opened a compartment on the top of his dome and out popped a cube of some sort. Luke reached out as if by reflex at the last moment and caught it in the palm of his hand. He held it for a second curiously.

"What's this?" he said, looking at the droid.

R2 rammed into his leg again. He glared at the droid. "I get it..." He switched on the cube, a holo image projecting. It was Mara.

He listened to the message, his cheek twitching.

_"Luke, I've had to leave suddenly on personal business that will also hopefully be of assistance to the Alliance. I wanted you to know this so that when you didn't see me at the rendezvous point, you wouldn't worry or think I'd gone AWOL. I do not know how long I'll be gone, but please be safe and take care. Mara."_

When it ended he cursed and practically crushed the cube in his grasp.

"Where the hell did she go?"

**.**

**.**

Mara had arrived on Dagobah and been greeted by the most innocuous-appearing creature ever. Yoda was so unprepossessing, but Mara knew better than to be fooled by outward appearances. She could tell via his Force signature how very potent he was.

He had been awaiting her, as soon as he'd felt Obi-Wan's dissolution into the Force.

Her training was more of heightening skills and fine-tuning those related to intuition and foresight and careful strategy, rather than relying on brute, physical strength. Instructions involved not forcing anything in particular to come. It related to relaxing, more so than emptying the mind of all things.

If images or perceptions came, she was not to fight them or evade them, just to "watch" them serenely, as if watching a holo-film.

Mara doubted if she could be so rational and detached, especially if it involved herself or persons she knew.  
She wondered what Yoda, being from the Old School, would have to say about her and Luke's blossoming relationship?

She shrugged.

It was irrelevant to her training tasks. Despite this, however, she did find her mind drifting to Luke at frequent intervals. Stang, she actually missed him! She wanted to share her experiences and what she was learning with him. Oh, well, there would be time for that, eventually.

During the beginning of her training, Master Yoda found Mara to be a very adept and swift learner, if a bit impatient about meditating. This seemed to be a timeless complaint of many Learners, particularly the restless and reckless.

She was intelligent and didn't pester him with "why" or "how" questions, as Kenobi and Windu had. Nor did she wrangle with endless debates about the Living versus Unifying Force.

At her center, she was as restful as Jinn had been, which boded well for her future.

Any impetuousness she had now he could credit to her relative youth.

**.**

It was during one of her meditative periods on her third day of training that Mara had a sudden prescient vision of Han and Leia on a world housing tibana gas mines. She couldn't tell precisely if this was occurring in real-time or was yet to happen. Still, it was very intense and immediate in all of the perceptions and their accompanying emotions.

There was a flurry of activity and a strong sense of ... outrage and of being betrayed.

She caught the evasive eyes of a dark-skinned, elegant gentleman. The outrage was coming from Han, it seemed.

"You slime devil, Calrisian! You sold us out!"

"Oh, great, Han!" She seemed to hear from Leia. "I thought you said he could be trusted!"

**.**

**.**

Luke was resting in his cabin when a sudden overwhelming feeling came to him. Almost like a Force link. Through it, he could feel Mara's surprise and anguish. At first she was resting on a log, her surroundings reminiscent of a swamp.

Dagobah; the name came to him.

The later feeling he got was of her lying prone on a deck of some sort—then nothing.

He blinked a few times, startled by what this meant. He tried to shove it aside.

Why could he feel Mara, why could he see her so vividly as if she were right next to him? More importantly, why was the Force showing this to him.

He sat straight up, breathing heavily as he did. He could feel his heart thumping wildly in his chest and hear the blood roaring in his ears. He cast a quick glance around. It was empty for the most part with only Darklighter looking over a datapad.

He didn't seem to notice Luke jolting from his resting place.

He breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't like questions being asked.

He threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, stumbling to the nearest mirror. It was a small one that hung above an equally small sink. The sink was shared between six pilots and was remarkably clean for a cabin that housed them. Then again, this was military, cleanliness and order was mandatory.

Luke was always grateful for this. He disliked disorder greatly.

After splashing his face with water, he looked at himself once more in the mirror. He could still feel her pain and still sense her terror.

As disciplined as he had been honed, he knew he would never get back to sleep. He opted to head for the hangar instead. He hastily pulled on a pair of boots and an outer coat before slipping away. He could hear Darklighter voicing his concern, but ignored him.

When he arrived at his fighter, he felt that niggling feeling return, tormenting him at the back of his mind.

Something wasn't right.

**.**

**.**

Mara had hurried back to her ship, which thankfully, was not submerged in the swamp, and opened a closed-circuit frequency directly to Alliance.

Working with the techs she had all the main contact codes.

She desperately needed to talk to Luke—she felt she had to—but she knew she would never be able to speak with him directly.

In a matter of moments, she was patched directly into the central frequency—or more specifically the communications tech.

The tech gave her a thorough third degree; questioning her on everything she could think of. Mara had to deliver her clearance code, her personal ID, and a top-secret passcode to confirm her identity. This all had to be completed before she could be patched through much less talk to anyone.

All of which she accepted with grace and understanding. The Alliance had to be extremely careful what with the Empire constantly breathing down their neck.

"Clearance complete," The tech said.

She wasn't connected immediately; in fact she had to wait a few minutes before being patched through.

"Mara," it was Mon Mothma's voice. "What is the matter? Did your… mission fail?"

It was apparent in her hesitation Mothma was making sure no one authorized was in ear-shot.

"No, it's fine. My mission is going well." She paused. "Is Luke around…I need him here. It's Han and Leia; I think something's wrong."

She could hear Mothma giving the order to send for Luke.

"He should be here shortly."

"You felt it?" Madine spoke up. "Is that what you're saying?" She could hear the skepticism in the man's voice. Madine wasn't entirely accepting of the Jedi.

"Yes." She said, trying to dampen her irritation. "I can't ignore it."

"We know, Mara." Riekkan said.

**.**

**.**

Luke looked up.

A soldier approached him, hoofing it all the way.

His back stiffened and a warning feeling sank in. Luke's hand dropped to his side surreptitiously, though he knew his blaster was not on him. He let it fall away before the man got closer. No need to throw suspicion on himself.

"Skywalker," he stopped a few feet from Luke, not noticing the other's state of dress. "Mon Mothma and the rest request your presence. We've received a message."

"A message?"

"Follow me, Sir."

He followed him and the sinking feeling increased with each step. They were heading for the main controlroom. It took them precisely fifteen minutes to get there.

The soldier stopped inside the door.

"Wait here." He instructed. "I'll announce us."

"Are you sure you can't tell us anything? Mon Mothma was saying.

"Not yet." A familiar feminine voice answered.

The soldier cleared his throat. "Mon Mothma, I have Skywalker."

She turned toward them, as did Madine and Riekkan.

Luke could sense the tension in the room, he noticed the tight look on Madine's face and the one Mothma was trying to conceal. Whatever the message was…it had them anxious.

"We have a communication that you needed to hear." Mon Mothma informed him. "I'm sure you'll understand we had to confirm first."

Luke looked around.

He nodded. "Of course." He began to suspect who it was, but he didn't say anything. He simply approached the station and took the seat which the tech had vacated.

"Go ahead, Mara." Mothma instructed.

Bingo.

Luke spoke first: "Mara, what's wrong?"

"I wanted to wait until you were here. Mothma and the rest know the basic details, but I haven't told them the rest yet. I'm glad you're here."

"I'm pleased to hear your voice, Mara." He was very relieved. When she'd gone off without telling him, he'd been angry and worried.

"As I said before, something's wrong." She said. "I fear Han and Leia are in danger; they've been out of communication for awhile."

"That's normal. Maintaining silence is top priority." Luke responded. But she had broken hers to contact them; that said something.

"They should have rendezvoused with the fleet but they never did." Mara insisted.

"The Imperials were closing in." Madine said. "There was no time to make sure everyone made the jump."

"I'm aware of that, General, but something's not right. Maybe the Imperials followed them."

"Why them specifically?" Riekkan asked.

"I'm not sure," She hesitated.

"Go ahead." Mothma urged.

"I saw them. I felt their suffering. They're in horrible danger." There was clearly worry in her voice. "I…"

"You want to go after them." Mothma finished.

"If you'll allow me, I can get their faster. Let me go on ahead, scout it out, confirm. That way if I'm wrong, we won't be wasting valuable resources."

Luke pondered her words, he sensed the trepidation in her voice. Horrible danger, suffering….Just as he'd seen with her.

"Mara, I don't think that's a good idea." Luke said

"I can handle this, Luke."

"I will have to agree with Luke," Mothma said. "But it in light of the current circumstances, I will authorize it—if reluctantly."

"I won't let you down." She sounded as if she was about to sign off.

"Mara!" Luke's voice raised in pitch.

"Yes?"

"Please be careful."

"I will."

Then there was dead air.


End file.
